In one sense this is a classing fight picture, only with the twist that the boxer is a woman. But the distinction makes it special throughout, thanks to the acting by Swank and the perspective that Eastwood brings to the subject in line with the screenplay by Paul Haggis. Eastwood plays Frankie Dunn, an ex-fight manager who now runs a gym where boxers train. He doesn’t want to manage anyone, let alone a woman who has her heart set on boxing as the only way she can she can emerge from the trailer environment that has been her anchor.

Morgan Freeman plays Scrap, who has had a long-time association with Frankie, who once managed him. Scrap looks after things at the gym and spars with some of the trainees. The loss of an eye is one of the skeletons in Scrap’s past. Frankie has a daughter somewhere, but he has lost touch with her and the letters he writes keep coming back as undeliverable. These are two sad guys who have affection for one another but need new spark in their lives. When Maggie turns up and refuses to take no for an answer, the course of the film is set. Frankie finally agrees to manage her.

The plot takes us into the world of women boxers to some extent, but the film is more about relationships than the fight game itself. Maggie wants to be a good daughter and take care of her mother and other family members, but they are a rotten lot who resent her for seeking more than they have, frown upon anything she achieves and only regard her as a meal ticket.

Eastwood makes the boxing scenes look realistic and there is excitement in seeing Maggie develop as a winner. But Frankie doesn’t want to let her go too far too fast and take risks for which she isn’t ready. Ultimately “Million Dollar Baby” takes a startling turn with a major moral issue injected into the unexpected situation.