I intentionally skipped watching Million Dollar Baby during its theatrical run here and during its cable run on HBO because I didn't think at that time that I would enjoy a boxing movie. I hate watching boxing but I realized now, that if handled by a good director, a boxing story can be very good too - thanks mainly to The Fighter, which was one of my favorite movies of 2010.
Well, the movie won several Oscars and deservedly so, and watching the movie tonight, I realized it had some Holy Week caliber lessons to teach me:
1. If people say no to your dreams, just keep pushing on. Hilary Swank's character faced no at every turn in this movie and it was her tenacity that made her realize her dream.
2. You have to have heart. One boxer in the movie had the talent but his heart was as big as a string pea - so his career was going nowhere.
3. Humility and the strength to let go. Clint Eastwood's character had that in boatloads! Instead of making a big deal when his protege chose to leave him and move on, he didn't make a big deal about it. He just said, he has taught everything he knew to the boxer and it was time to move on.
4. Family can be anybody - doesn't have to be someone who's related to you by blood. In the movie, Hilary Swank's character has this misfortune of having a family who did not really care for her - even if they were related by blood. In the end, they were just after her money. Her character realizes this soon enough but I did not pity her because she had a family - her boxing family really cared for her!
5. Always have a good heart! Hilary Swank's character had that even though she was living hand-to-mouth. Her family even laughs at her back because of her dream of being a lady boxer, but still, she gives her mother a very nice house. The scene where she gives her Mom the house is truly heartbreaking!
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