Million Dollar Baby

The Best Picture winner and I have trouble imagining a better one. This is truly a great picture, though at times difficult to watch. Mom, if you're reading this, you may want to skp this flick. The acting is top notch. Morgan Freeman won his long deserved Oscar with this film. Clint Eastwood is masterful and Hilary Swank is simply incredible. The story is well told and has the impact of daisy-cutter. A kleenex salesman would have cleaned up.
***Spoiler Alert***

And I'm not kidding. If you mean to see this movie don't read any further. I'm serious. Ok? The movie is interesting in a triumph of human nature kind of way. The first two acts are very good and in a lesser movie would have been enough. Swank plays a woman who wants to be a boxer. She's come from the trailer courts and hopes that boxing will give her an oppurtunity to make something of her life. She wants Eastwood to be her manager because she thinks he can make her the best. He refuses, not wanting to train (or manage) a girl. She persists and with the help of Freeman begins to learn and improve. Eastwood finally comes around and begins to train her. In a short period of time she becomes a young Mike Tyson (except sane). She moves up the ranks until she's offered a shot at a championship. Eastwood is cautious by nature and doesn't want to push her in over her head. He finally sets up the title fight. Swank's opponent is a notorious dirty trick girl. Swank's raw force is enough to knock her out and the ref calls the fight. And then the third act. The dirty trickster blindsides her on the way back to the corner and she falls, breaking her neck on the stool. She regains consiousness in the hospital to discover that she's paralysed from the neck down. She can't even breathe on her own. We're shown how awful a spot she's in. Skin ulcers form because she can't shift her position. One of her legs is amputated because of blood clots. Boxing was her whole life. She's had little education and no real interest in having more. She's trapped and she wants out. Eastwood tries to talk her out of it but can't. She even tries to commit suicide by chewing up her own tounge but she's stopped. Finally, he gives in.
The movie handles the subject with great gravity. The best argument is given to a priest who tells Eastwood that no matter what guilt he's already living with, this would be something unforgivable. But...what can you say to someone who's trapped in an impossible situation? What can you do for them? This movie has come under fire for it's apparent lack of respect for life. I think that sells it far too short. In some ways it reminds me of 'Unforgiven' (due up in my project soon). In both movies Eastwood is a man who must make the hardest of choices. He must commit the worst of sins to right some wrong. This isn't a pro-assisted suicide movie. This is a story about dealing with tragedy. And the wants of people who think they have no way out.
On a personal note, the hospital scenes were gut wrenching. I couldn't help but think back to my time in ICU. I came through in one piece and in good spirits. Well, some of the pieces needed reconnecting but you know what I mean. I couldn't help but think of how much worse it could have been. I've told people that losing an eye isn't that big of a deal and it really isn't when compared to paralysis. I'm thankful that it wasn't worse. I count my lucky stars for it. This movie drove all of that home for me.