Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

They don’t make them much better than Clint Eastwood’s boxing masterpiece, Million Dollar Baby (2004)--This one is a top ten all-time film for me. 

The underdog boxer (here, a female played by Hilary Swank) being pushed by a tough trainer is nothing new in cinema, as we have seen that storyline over and over again throughout the years.

However, Eastwood (Director, leading actor) and screenwriter Paul Haggis deliver original dialogue that stretches beyond boxing and sports, in addition to a few shockers as the film develops.

The cast is headlined by Eastwood, Swank, and Morgan Freeman. But also features some excellent character actors in smaller roles which add to the flavor and originality of the film. A few of them are: Anthony Mackie, Margo Martindale, and Brian F. O'Byrne. 

If you think you know where this film is going after the first few scenes...trust me: You don’t.

Simply put, this is beautiful filmmaking and required viewing.