Million Dollar Baby

[Benji]

I should listen to critics more often, this film is awesome, so sad right now

[Quom]

I much prefer Hundred dollar baby.

[Gene Kiniski]

Really good movie. I remember watching it and wincing at a few parts during the end. The did are good job at making you believe the pain.

[GRIFT]

Pretty much everything that Eastwood has had a hand in directing has been gold. Especially in the last few years.

[Jimmy]

I watched it last night on Film4. Excellent film. truly brilliant.

[CQI13]

That was a great movie. I really hated her family from the 5 minutes on screen.

[thuganomic]

I usually don't hate movies based on endings, but this ending was terrible. They had the chance to make a really uplifting film, but instead tried to make a shoddy statement that ultimately fell flat for me.

[Hellfire]

I have it , but I can't watch it till I get another TV. Whenever I do, it's going to be one of the first five movies I watch.

[Benji]

I usually don't hate movies based on endings, but this ending was terrible. They had the chance to make a really uplifting film, but instead tried to make a shoddy statement that ultimately fell flat for me.

I thought it was amazingly powerful, I know she could have gone through some kind of inspirational life affirming stuff at the end, but I think that's where it gets its power from, we've seen stuff like Rocky pull that kind of stuff out and we expect it, it's disheartening to know people DO give up like that, but they key is in Morgan Freeman. When Freeman's character explains that Eastwood's character helped her achieve her dreams and how most people on their deathbed regret not fulfilling them, that is the moment that 'excuses' (for lack of me thinking of a better word) her giving up for me, she feels that anything else she does won't match that feeling but she'll always have that moment in peoples memories.

[thuganomic]

I usually don't hate movies based on endings, but this ending was terrible. They had the chance to make a really uplifting film, but instead tried to make a shoddy statement that ultimately fell flat for me.

I thought it was amazingly powerful, I know she could have gone through some kind of inspirational life affirming stuff at the end, but I think that's where it gets its power from, we've seen stuff like Rocky pull that kind of stuff out and we expect it, it's disheartening to know people DO give up like that, but they key is in Morgan Freeman. When Freeman's character explains that Eastwood's character helped her achieve her dreams and how most people on their deathbed regret not fulfilling them, that is the moment that 'excuses' (for lack of me thinking of a better word) her giving up for me, she feels that anything else she does won't match that feeling but she'll always have that moment in peoples memories.

So she gives up and dies? What kind of life is that? The message is then just chase the best feeling you have and then life is meaningless after. There is no excuse for giving up on life. They did a good job of having everything stacked against her at the end, but personally, it wasn't excused and I'm not sure what could have happened that would have made me accepting of the ending.

I just think it's a terrible message to send to the viewers, especially since the majority of the people I've talked to seem to think it's ok that she ended up giving up like that.

[Benji]

If you do want a message I'd say it's about the fact that certain journeys don't all end at once; Maggie gives up, she feels her story is finished, Frank dissapears, leaving his story open to choice of the viewer as to whether he found happiness and his daughter once more, and Eddie ended up happy (or as happy as he could be after that) living out his days training, doing what he does best.

Not every movie needs a deep message though, some of them are just stories and just like real life, not all stories end perfectly, not everyone is able to get through that, it's not sending a message that it's okay to give up, that was never the intention, to paraphrase Eastwood himself, if movies sent a message of the films always being right, why isn't everyone blowing one another away with a .44 Magnum like he does in other films?

[CQI13]

Hey thug, I understand where you're coming from. What I would say is this:

While the "Hollywood" ending of this would have been for her to fight back and lived out the rest of her life, could it not also be a believable ending that she gives up? I agree with you in that it's not the happiest ending out there, right message or not. But I don't find it to be outside the realm of possibility that something like that might happen.

[thuganomic]

Hey thug, I understand where you're coming from. What I would say is this:

While the "Hollywood" ending of this would have been for her to fight back and lived out the rest of her life, could it not also be a believable ending that she gives up? I agree with you in that it's not the happiest ending out there, right message or not. But I don't find it to be outside the realm of possibility that something like that might happen.

Oh, it's definitely within the realm of possibility. I just think they dropped the ball because I don't like the message it sends.