MILLION DOLLAR BABY worked, from beginning to end. Where some saw a hodgepodge of cliches, I saw the assured hand of a master filmmaker paring a genre down to its core elements, then working those elements to create a simple, yet effective picture. It's hard to believe MILLION DOLLAR BABY is from the same guy who made BLOODWORK.
One friend of mine took issue with the portrayal of Swank's white trash family, seeing it as a cheap shot at the demographic America loves to hate (or at least mock): hillbillies. I found the characterization to be effective and wholly realistic. I've spent a little time around that particular demographic, and I thought it was refreshing to see characterizations that spoke more to my personal experience than to the standard Hollywood dictum that poverty = saintliness.
Regardless, I thought that MILLION DOLLAR BABY was an effective motion picture. Its fight scenes were far more exciting than those in the last three ROCKY movies, and they knock out UNDISPUTED in the first round. The leads were all interesting and engaging, and I was happy to follow them on their journey.
There's a fair amount of hate for MILLION DOLLAR BABY out there, but not from me. I think it's a winner.
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