The arc of Clint Eastwood’s career impresses me no end. From spaghetti westerns to the Unforgiven and now Million Dollar Baby – he delivers. And at seventy!

Millionaire Dollar Baby is a great film and a great story. The casting is perfection, the direction tight and the end product fantastic. It’s got drama, it’s got action, it’s got controversy.

The dynamic between Frankie Dunn as the overprotective boxing mentor and Maggie Fitzgerald, the rags to riches female boxer – crackles with authenticity. Morgan Freeman: genius.

To paraphrase a Billy Joel song, it’s sad and it’s sweet, and I’d watch it complete again.

What’s good about this movie:

1) Story, story, story. A++++ to the screenwriters and director.

2) Characters, characters, characters. A++++ to the actors and the screenwriters.

3) Delivers a message without preaching.

Verdict: Theater full price and DVD purchase.