Million Dollar Baby
Movie, 2004, The 2000s, Set in A boxing gym
Million Dollar Baby is #20 of 35 in release order and #20 of 35 in chronological order in the Sports Movies.
The story
Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.
Million Dollar Baby recap
Million Dollar Baby (2004) follows Maggie Fitzgerald, a waitress from the Ozarks who talks a gruff Los Angeles trainer into making her a boxer. Clint Eastwood directs, produces, scores and stars in the boxing drama, written by Paul Haggis from F.X. Toole's short stories. Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) keeps showing up at the Hit Pit gym run by Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood), who refuses to train a woman and says she is too old. His friend Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris (Morgan Freeman), a former fighter who runs the gym and narrates, lets her train anyway. When Frankie's top prospect leaves for another manager, he takes Maggie on. She wins fight after fight with first-round knockouts, tours Europe, and buys her mother a house, only to be told it will cost the family its welfare. Frankie, estranged from his daughter, embroiders the Gaelic words "Mo Cuishle" on Maggie's robe without saying what they mean. In this list it follows Friday Night Lights and comes before Cinderella Man.
Million Dollar Baby ending explained
Million Dollar Baby ends with Frankie ending Maggie's life at her request and disappearing. In a million-dollar title fight in Las Vegas, champion Billie "The Blue Bear" Osterman punches her after the bell, and Maggie breaks her neck on the stool. Paralysed, she loses a leg, sends away her greedy family and begs Frankie to let her die. He disconnects her ventilator and injects her with adrenaline after telling her that "Mo Cuishle" means "my darling, my blood." Scrap's narration turns out to be a letter to Frankie's daughter, and a last shot suggests Frankie may be at the diner where Maggie took him for lemon pie.
Post-credits scenes
No. Million Dollar Baby has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch Million Dollar Baby
Million Dollar Baby is streaming on fuboTV and Paramount+ in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 8.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes 90%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Friday Night Lights, before Cinderella Man.
- Chronological order: after Friday Night Lights, before Cinderella Man.
Cast
- Clint Eastwood as Frankie Dunn
- Hilary Swank as Maggie Fitzgerald
- Morgan Freeman as Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris
- Jay Baruchel as Danger Barch
- Mike Colter as Big Willie Little
- Lucia Rijker as Billie 'The Blue Bear'
- Brían F. O'Byrne as Father Horvak
- Anthony Mackie as Shawrelle Berry
- Margo Martindale as Earline Fitzgerald
- Riki Lindhome as Mardell Fitzgerald
- Michael Peña as Omar
- Benito Martinez as Billie's Manager
Directed by Clint Eastwood.