Million Dollar Baby By Clint Eastwood

The Importance of Self-Belief in the Film Million Dollar Baby By Clint Eastwood

Success in life can be said to be based on confidence in individual abilities. Self-belief has a significant impact on our lives, yet it cannot be taught in schools. This is due to free will associated with being confident or not. The more an individual has self-belief, which in other words is referred to as confidence, the greater heights of success one is deemed to achieve (Denzin, Athens,  & Faust, 2011). In determining our goals that we strive for every day to achieve, confidence has a strong impact on our happiness.

Describing Million Dollar Baby as just a boxing movie would serve it an injustice. The point of the film is not to illustrate a boxing career as one may depict. Hillary Swank acts as a convincing female boxer who tries to be considered as a part of the ring. A story of redemption ensues about how an individual can connect with a stranger to create an inseparable bond.

Maggie, as acted by Swank, begs to be trained as a boxer by Dunn, Clint Eastwood (Scott, 2004). Dunn turns her down claiming he does not train girls to fight. Though the trainer dismisses her, her self-belief is strong enough to conquer the ridicule. Maggie keeps pressing on until Dunn decides to take her in and train her. Becoming her first female student, we see how Maggie is self-assured and determined to become the best boxer.

Unlike other boxing movies, Million Dollar Baby is not all about violence. It can be described literally as a metaphor. Themes of endurance, courage, loyalty are some attributes deployed in the movie. These attributes are necessary in acing everyday life. Boxing is an art that requires a lot of energy and labor with focus. The gym is symbolized as a place that is full of hope for hapless street kids. They come to this gym to become champions because they believe in themselves. The boxers in Dunn’s gym focuses all their attention and energy on boxing (Toole, 2012). It can be said they would go to far extents to achieve their dreams which nobody but them can see as a reality.

Maggies’ dream of becoming a boxer starts to light up, giving her threads of hope as she gets equipped to train in the gym. When Dunn sees Maggie has improved her craft, he insists she takes on a manager. The manager pits her against much stronger opposition, leading to her losing the fight. Frankie and Maggie after the fight, gaining more confidence gradually through hard work. Later on in the movie, Maggies embodies complete self-assurance.

This film is worth all the praises it got in 2004. Swank playing the role of Maggie worked well with her body type and her attitude as a woman who goes after what she wants (Vaux, 2012). Million Dollar Baby does not lend itself any negative critique. This film is refreshing and unforgettable. I can easily say this is one of the best films of 2004.

References
Denzin, N. K., Athens, L. H., & Faust, T. (2011). Blue Ribbon Papers: Interactionism : The  Emerging Landscape. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Pub. Ltd.
Scott, A. O. (2004). 3 People Seduced by the Bloody Allure of the Ring. New York Times, 154  (53064), El-E5.
Steve, I. (n.d). Review: Clint Eastwood’s New Movie “Million Dollar Baby”. Morning Edition  (NPR).
Toole, F. X. (2012). Million Dollar Baby: Stories from the Corner. New York: Open Road  Integrated Media.
Vaux, S. A. (2012). The Ethical Vision of Clint Eastwood. Grand Rapids, Mich: William B.  Eerdmans Pub. Co.