Isn't this better? I mean it. Eastwood makes Yoda look like the little green puppet he is.
Anyway. No deserts. No horses. No chewing tobacco (and definitely no Chewbacca). No wars (I'll skip the obvious snarky comment here). No guns. Not even a single hand-similuating-a-gun. So, is Eastwood up to something different in this film? Or are we in familiar territory? Think about this in the following ways:
1. First, as usual, what is your reaction to the film thus far? What do you appreciate? What doesn't suit you so well?
2. Next, take a minute to think beyond the familiar face of Eastwood. He looks like other male leads we've seen but is Frankie a familiar character? Is this the same personality guiding the action of Eastwood's other films?
3. And what about Maggie (and why do all the leads have names that end "ie")? Have we seen such a character in the past three weeks? Move beyond literal connections as you consider this. What characteristics does Maggie embody?
4. Stepping back a bit further, think about what is going on in Frankie's gym. What happens in The Hit Pit? Have we seen this kind of place in the past three weeks?
So far, I like the movie it isn't the heart breaking film it was made out to be... Yet. I really like the way Maggie never gives up. The only thing about her I don't like is her accent, I suppose that is a personal thing. I think that by giving her a country accent maybe have an underlying significance or meaning. I believe that this has already been revealed though, when she told Frankie about her family trouble.
ReplyDeleteFrankie is the usual Clint Eastwood character. He shows little emotion because of a previous tragedy and he sexist (which is similar to his racist characters in other movies.) Also, I see Frankie softening up to another character which is normal for the Clint Eastwood main character. We saw this happen with Walt and Tau. In addition, Frankie is tough and stubborn, which as we have seen in other movies stirs up trouble.
Maggie is obviously hard working and has a bright outlook on pretty much everything, but I don't know that I have seen a character in any of the other movies like her. One thing that relates her to many Clint Eastwood characters is her rough past. I cannot think of a character in any of the other movies who embodies the same positive outlook on life as Maggie does. Although, Maggie does do what she needs to do, even if it is horrible. For instance, the scene where she eats the left over steak that the customer didn't eat at the restaurant where she works. This is similar every main character in the movies we have watched. Specifically, Bronco Billy, when uses all of his money to get the abandoner out of jail. All the characters do what they have to in order to keep living.
The Hit Pit is used as a safe place, but also as a place where people push themselves. The Hit Pit is a safe haven for Danger. He gets made fun of there, but he doesn't get hurt. Obviously from a literal point of view The Hit Pit is a boxing gym where people go to get physically and mentally stronger, but it also feels like you can track Maggie's progress from the gym. It's where all of her self progression happens. She has been happier ever since she had started boxing. Lastly, the Hit Pit feels like a home for Maggie. (It is a home for Morgan Freedman.) I don't think we have seen a place like this in any of the other movies because there isn't a reoccurring place where the movie always comes back to. And, the Hit Pit changes Maggie. I don't see any places changing characters in other movies.
So far, this is my favorite film we have watched so far. I caution that statement with a “so far” because of John’s severe warning about the sad twist coming up. However, it has everything I look for in an entertaining film. First, the character development and likeability is by far the best we have seen out of Eastwood. I also really like how there seems to be a defined plotline (though I am anxiously awaiting that major twist), and he has stuck to it. It also doesn’t hurt that it is, in many ways, a sports movie – my genre of choice. I honestly cannot find a flaw so far, but – again – am just waiting for it.
ReplyDeleteI think in a lot of ways Frankie is similar to the other Eastwood characters. His hard personality suits the quintessential masculine character that Eastwood has seemingly perfected. He is a man of loyalty, until that loyalty is betrayed by his top fighter. And he is very set in his ways – he continues to insist on not training a woman (typical Eastwood) and holds his top fighter and Maggie back from fighting for their titles. His relationship with Maggie parallels the one he had with Tao and even the one he eventually developed with the the Schofield kid.
One of the main reasons for my love for this movie is that Maggie is a character unlike any we have seen. She certainly gives Kyra no chance to say she hates all the characters. She’s resilient, hard-working, stubborn (in a good way), talented, and warm. We like her, and that is what scares me the most. With this impending doom looming somewhere, the target must be the character we have the most connection to. I am expecting it to be Maggie.
The Hit Pit isn’t just a gym, but a home. Literally a home for Eddie, but also seemingly a figurative home for everyone else who goes there. This is his group akin to the one Bronco Billy had and the one Chris Kyle had. We’ve seen the Hit Pit in nearly every movie we have watched, however it isn’t always a literal place.
So far, I like this movie a lot. It seems a lot different than his other movies but the more that I think about it, it is very similar. You have a rough older man who has to be convinced to take a younger human under their wing. Much like Walt and Toa. There is still a lot of violence and gore in this movie like the others. But unlike the other it is not war like. It is almost more intense because it is hand to hand and instead of death the characters are wounded and broken. I still enjoy the boxing scenes they are exciting to watch and, as much as it pains me to say, I like watching people get knocked out. I also really like the characters in this movie. Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman will always be a great combination. The characters in the gym are comical in their own ways also.
ReplyDeleteFrankie is the usual Eastwood old man character. He is hard on the outside, grumpy and alone. Frankie is confronted with something way out of his comfort zone in that a woman has decided to train at his gym. Much like in Grand Torino how the Asians have moved in next door and the kid tries to steal his car. At first, Eastwood's character is very set in his ways but after a period of time he warms up to his apprentice. His apprentice has to prove themselves to Eastwood's character through hard work or a brave act. Frankie is also all about manliness and still goes to church even though he is not a huge believer, much like Walt. There are family problems going on in the story also. I link him training Maggie as making up for his daughter and Walt helping out Toa as making up for his sons.
Maggie is an impressive person she is always positive and hard working. The positive part does not appeal to Frankie as much as her amazing work ethic does. He notices her everyday and night in the gym. Maggie has lived a rough life and came to LA to start anew. This hasn't really worked out as she planned. SHe can barely make ends meet with her waitress job and is forced to eat off of patrons' plates. But still, even with everything seemingly going wrong in her life Maggie is able to maintain her positive outlook and continue working. She is also a very courageous character in that she will step down from no challenge and puts herself out there by training in the gym anyway even when told not to come back.
THe Hit Pit is interesting in that all different kinds of people come to train there. It is different from a lot of movies that have a moving setting. The interactions within the HIt Pit are interesting. Especially because such interesting people like Danger and Maggie go there. The most odd piece to me is Morgan Freeman's character we know his backstory and how he was a good fighter but we don't know exactly how he ended up in his situation. He went from well known to living in a boxing gym and being a janitor basically. HIm and Frankie are friends even though neither of them will admit it. They have a manly relationship in that they just tease each other, but they still care about each other.
1. I love this movie. I can root for (yes I said it again) almost every character. I truly believe that the character development is the best we’ve seen in this class thus far. Every character in the movie has his or her own issues that he or she must reconcile. The only thing that wouldn’t (hence wouldn’t) sit well with me thus far is that I feel like everything is going to well. Although, thanks to John precaution I am waiting for someone to die or get sick in every scene. John’s comment increased my level of anxiety exponentially every time Maggie gets into the ring. Overall, best movie so far.
ReplyDelete2. Frankie has a personality almost identical to Walt from “Gran Torrino.” Both are “lovable bigots.” Frankie’s comments about needing to forget that Maggie is a woman to train her do not sit well in my fiercely feminist mind, yet a part of me does not get that angry at the things he says. This is similar to Walt in that we all knew what he was saying was wrong, but we liked him so much we were willing to overlook it. Also similarly to Walt Frankie ends up mentoring the people his comments would be offensive to.
3. Maggie is very similar to Chris Kyle. Besides the obvious joins their respective careers late in the game and end up being at the top they’re very similar in their personalities. Kyle and Maggie both draw their motivation from a similar place. They both want to be better than they were. Maggie says it when she is describing her family, talking about how she wants to be better than they are. When Kyle hits rock bottom at the beginning of “American Sniper,” when he is sitting with his brother drinking a beer he realizes how (for lack of a better word) pathetic his life has become he decides to go join the military.
4. The Hid Pit is not the type of gym you go to at 6:30 am to get in your morning cardio before you go give your big presentation to the boss. The people who train at Hid Pit train there day in and day out hoping that one day they will be the greatest. The hid pit could be compared to the boot camp in “American Sniper” but it is a stretch at best. The Hit Pit has a more homey feel, rather than a survival instinct feel.
1. I love this movie so far. The pacing is just right—this far there hasn't been any parts of the film that moved to slowly or too fast. The storyline is clear and relatively easy to follow, and it raises just enough questions to keep us interested. What's the deal with Frankie's daughter? Will Frankie be able to take Maggie as far as she can go, even if it means her getting hurt on the way to the top? I appreciate the way Eastwood respects the intelligence of the audience by not beating us over the head with the same message throughout the movie. He lets us piece things together so we can form our own opinions.
ReplyDelete2. Frankie is definitely a familiar character. Throughout the movie, I found that Frankie reminded me of Walt Kowalski in many ways. For one, eventually becomes close to a character that he wasn't initially fond of, much like Walt did with Sue and Thao. Also like Walt and in a way like Josey Wales, Frankie is isolated from his family. In "The Outlaw Josey Wales", Josey used his thirst for revenge and and fighting in the war as a coping mechanism. In "Million Dollar Baby", Frankie copes by training fighters in his gym. I also believe that Frankie is, maybe without realizing, treating Maggie like the daughter he wishes he had. This is similar to the way Walt treated Thao and Sue as if they were his children, since his son was a jerk in real life.
3. Maggie is the embodiment of the "started from the bottom, now we're here" state of mind. As she explained to Frankie, her life before deciding to have Frankie train her wasn't the greatest. But instead of giving in to thinking that all she could achieve was what the rest of her family could achieve, she decided to work at what the talent that she knew she had. When Frankie refused to train her because he "doesn't train girls", she didn't give up trying until he gave in and agreed to train her. Maggie is the embodiment of commitment. The only character that we've seen that shares some of the same characteristic as Maggie is Will Munny. He was willing to stop at nothing to avenge Ned's death. Granted, Maggie isn't a ruthless murderer (as far as we know), but the two characters do share the same thought process. This kind of thinking is also shared with Josey Wales, who was willing to go to great lengths and stop at nothing to achieve his goal. In his case, it was revenge.
4. In some ways, The Hit Pit resembles Bronco Billy's Wild West Show. Both groups choose to follow one man because they believe in him and what he can do for them. Even when the men in the gym know that Frankie has taken them as far as he can take them, they are still reluctant to leave. Unlike Bronco Billy's show however, then men in The Hit Pit could make something of themselves in the world if they left Frankie. The members of Billy's show wouldn't have anything in the world if it weren't for the show.
1 I absolutely enjoy this movie. The entire story line of a girl who has nothing doing something she loves to make something of herself is a story that really gets to me. Along side that we have the story of Frankie trying to win a title by training someone after his best fighter leaves him. Both stories are stories which I can sympathize with. I just really want to see how it all plays out. That's the part I appreciate the most. The things I dislike are some of the characters, managers in particular. All of them seem mean and only in it for the money. They don't fully care about the fighters but they care that the fighters can win to bring them money.
ReplyDelete2 A familiar character in Frankie I would say no. Similar attributes, but Frankie I have to say is a different character. His love for fighting is something that keeps him going (similar to all those western guys). Though hesitant he take on someone he doesn't necessarily likes (like Walt) but there's something about him that really sets him off. His personality and way he treats people is very similar to Walt so if I were to say he was most similar to one it would have to be Walt. But I still feel like he's different. I feel like the mean personality is similar but Walt just doesn't like people while Frankie doesn't like training girl fighters. He seems grumpy all the time until he's with a skilled fighter who he has trained.
3 To me Maggie is a completely unfamiliar face. I may have seen her in some movie but none that I can recall. I don't think the personality is all that similar because Maggie brings a whole new story and backstory to the scene. Her broken home and poor self haven't been in any of the other movies we've watched. A thing I think helps drive Maggie as a character, well to me at least, is the fact that I don't recognize her. If it had been Jennifer Lawrence that played this part I would have a totally different outlook on this. But the person that plays Maggie gives me a mystery as to what she could possibly be. She embodies strength and perseverance and resilience. All these terms connect in the fact that she is fighting to be something only she dreams of. She is nothing when we first meet and we slowly have started to see her get known.
4 The Hit Pit seems to be in financial trouble. The place looks beat up and Frankie doesn't want Morgan Freeman to spend so much money on the bleach. It shows in how the place looks run down but it gives it that old gym feel. The thing that really shows that it's in trouble is when Frankie says to give Maggie her money back but then realizes it's 6 months worth. The closest setting I can think of is in mystic river. The whole town looked a bit beat up but not bad though. It's was very much of preserving the past and not wanting it to go.
Thanks for trashing Star Wars just a tad bit more Clark :)
~Nick
1. I have really liked this movie so far because of the characters and the inherent drama and action of a boxing movie. Frankie, Maggie, and Eddie are all very likable characters. I especially like Eddie because of his kindness, honesty with Maggie, and also because of his fantastic narrating voice. I am also really into sports movies like this one. Boxing movies capture my attention with their connection to my competitive nature. The only thing that bothers me a little is how sexist Frankie is. Even though he has agreed to train Maggie, he still treats her really different and hasn't had that big "realization" where he figures out she is just as tough and strong as any guy.
ReplyDelete2. Frankie is similar to other characters we have seen, but he is slightly more unique then it would appear. To me, he is really similar to Walt (and not just because they are both old Clint). Walt and Frankie both have difficult relationships With their kids and are both hardened and grumpy old me. Both of them have difficulty accepting religion and both of them find new friendships in unexpected people. The only new things that we have experienced with Frankie is that he is sexist and that he is maybe a little bit softer and not as rough and tough as the other Clint Eastwood characters. He seemed quicker to accept Maggie than other characters might and he also advises people quit the fight if they are hurt too bad. Also he has spent the last 29 or 30 years feeling bad for what happened to Eddie even though there really wasn't anything that he could have done.
3. I think Maggie is a new kind of character for the "Clint Eastwood Genre." She is the silk play in how she is strong, tough, and has a sketchy past, but she is different because she is really positive, happy, and resilient. Most of the characters we have met so far are really gloomy and stoic, but she is very optimistic and enthusiastic. It's a nice change of pace from all of the dark and serious characters we have met. She is also one of the few really strong female characters. She doesn't get pushed around at all and doesn't need any protection. Even though she is strong and resilient, she is also in a pretty bad financial situation, which is not new for Clint Eastwood characters. Having her be impoverished and have a sad family life gives her a really big chip on her shoulder and motivation for her fighting because that is all she has, which is kind of new for a Clint Eastwood character.
4. The Hit Pit is the training place and the emotional (and physical) home for the characters. They feel comfortable there and are able to push themselves harder to train better. It is also a place where bonds are created between the characters and where they grow closer. The only place that seems similar to the Hit Pit is Bronco Billy's Wild West show tent. There those characters were able to train and grow closer in community. They were also led and advised by Bronco Billy in a similar way that Frankie leads and advises people in the Hit Pit.
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ReplyDeleteSo far, I’m enjoying this movie— I’m a bit cautious about making a judgement call at the moment, mostly due to John’s warning about the change in tone. But based purely off of what we watched today, I’d say that this movie is a great tale of a young woman rising from almost literally nothing to become what she dreams of being. Obviously, the movie isn’t going to remain like this, but it does feel a little formulaic at the moment— Young person comes into the gym eager to fight, trainer slowly warms up to them, they begin to realize their true potential. That’s not to say I don’t like it, I just feel that it hits most of the tropes of the genre as of the point we watched to.
ReplyDeleteFrankie seems pretty similar to a lot of Clint’s characters so far, especially the older ones. For example, he has a lot in common with Walt— Although he isn’t racist, he’s definitely a bit sexist, but he manages to overcome that and take the newcomer under his wing, teaching them how to fight for a better world. Just like so many other Eastwood characters, Frankie is a gruff man of few words, but still one who’s widely respected. He masks his emotions well, but at some points his softer interior shines through, mirroring characters like Walt. We don’t know much about Frankie’s past, either, and what we do know is gleaned through snippets of information from the narrator and dialogue, in the same way that we don’t actually know the backstory of Walt, Will Munny, or Bronco Billy, other than what the characters mention.
Maggie is fairly unique among the characters we’ve seen in that she’s unrelentingly positive. Maggie is constantly working hard and struggling to achieve her dreams and goals, and she’s stubborn and tenacious enough to pursue her boxing career even after Frankie denies her so many times. She shares some traits with characters we’ve seen in that she’s something of an outcast from general society, but I’d say that her personality is fairly unique. I’m worried that something really bad is going to happen to Maggie, causing the conflict with Eastwood’s character for the second half, because she’s a really endearing character, and things going even more wrong for her could be crushing to us as viewers.
The Hit Pit seems to be a place of refuge and a second home for all the trainees that go there (aside from Morgan Freeman’s character, who literally lives there). We see this especially in the form of characters like Danger, a less-than-perfect outcast who is able to be himself at the Pit, and in Maggie, who ends up spending a majority of her time in this safe place, working to achieve her dreams. This aesthetic that the Hit Pit holds definitely made me think of the traveling circus and its gang in Bronco Billy, which was also something of a home and refuge for social outcasts and people who just wanted to be themselves. It’s a place where the characters can feel a sense of belonging, and it’s not always a literal place— For instance, in American Sniper, Chris Kyle only feels like he’s in the right place when he’s over in Iraq fighting for his country.
Will G.
ReplyDelete1. I like the film so far it is a nice change of pace from the hardcore action films Eastwood usually directs. I like the story and the characters. Especially Morgan Freeman’s character because he always shows the truth but is hopeful at the same time. I also like Danger Dave (I think that’s his name) and the humor he adds to the narrative. I don’t like how little Eastwood shows that passage of time. This is a small detail but during Maggie’s birthday Frank comes out and agrees to teach her. Although after about 20min of fight scenes it’s her birthday again and I did not feel a year pass at all and I was confused. Again not essential to telling the story yet a small detail that caught my eye.
2. Frank seems different than the usual characters he plays. Frank does not want to turn to violence rather than he rushes to forfeit before his fighter gets hurt. This is different than a character like Will who goes on his adventure and does not hesitate to seek revenge. Or Josy Whales who is also quick to pull the trigger (at least for the first half of the movie). Now Eastwood plays a coach who not to tough it out rather play it safe. Frank is also not racist or offensive in my opinion (I don’t see him not wanting to train girls as offensive). And also he is kind to his boxers and those in need, he has his occasional anger fit, but overall much nicer than the characters I have previously seen Eastwood play.
3. I am feeling like Maggie embodies the kid from Unforgiven. She is eager to jump into something she is too old for and dreams of doing but doesn’t have a lot of experience or know anything about. Though the stakes are not as high as murdering for money I feel she has the same blind eagerness to jump into fights that she might not be ready for. Though she doesn’t give up she hasn’t had a real reason to yet but I feel like sooner or later the movie is going to really challenge Maggie’s commitment and whether she too will realize that this life isn’t for her (like the kid) or she will stick with it.
4. Frankie’s gym to me is like a figurative representation of Eastwood’s diverse place. For instance in Bronco Billy Eastwood’s circus was very diverse and Josy Whales gang was as well. To me the gym is like that, a diverse center for people seeking their boxing dream, run by Eastwood. You have people of different types at his gym from a huge African America man who picks on a lion hearted scrawny white boy. To a go getter woman hoping to become a champion and an old, blind, African American ex-boxer as Eastwood’s second in command.
1. As everyone else has said, I really enjoy the film so far. I think it's nice that we get a break from classic Eastwood, and move into other genres. I really like all the characters, and I actually sympathize with them. I'm incredibly curious about what'll happen to make this "the saddest movie ever", and also what about the movie earns it the title "million dollar baby". Also, the narration by Morgan Freeman is certainly helpful to the likeableness of the movie.
ReplyDelete2. I think that Frankie is a lot like a usual Clint Eastwood character. He doesn't express his emotions, he's stubborn, he's a fighter, he doesn't have a girlfriend/wife (yet), he cares about his own, and he's determined. Also, many of Eastwood's characters have a supporting character that is an annoyance at first, but that Eastwood grows to enjoy. Examples come to mind such as Tao, or The Scofield Kid.
3. Maggie is incredibly optimistic, determined, and she believes in herself. She reminds me a lot of Jordan Valdes, an avid basketball fanatic and ex-paideia student. Her enthusiasm for boxing, and her overall positive "I can do it!" demeanor remind me of some other Eastwood side characters, once again referring to Tao or The Scofield Kid. She really seems to embody that having a good spirit and a solid heart will only get you so far, but when you mix it with talent and dedication, great results occur.
4. The Hit Pit is where this group of people come to be safe. Both physically, and mentally. Although people get made fun of, and tormented, deep down, boxing is what these people live for. In The Hit Pit, people are allowed to focus on what they love. Many of those boxers seem to live in the gym, especially Maggie, but for Morgan Freeman, the gym really is home. I don't know if we've seen a place like that recently, and if we have, I can't recall it off the top of my head.
So far I have really enjoyed the film. I like Hilary Swank, so I had high expectations for this movie. I really like how you can see the character development of Frankie, first he denies training a girl, then he claims her as his fighter. I like watching boxing so it lured my interest at the start.
ReplyDeleteI would say that Frankie has certain characteristics that are similar to the typical Clint Eastwood characters, but he also doesn't have some. He is pretty sexist towards Hilary Swank in the movie, he refuses to train her, which is similar to the typical Clint Eastwood characters. But a difference is that he seems to not be as set in his ways as other characters are, Frankie seems like he can change his views quicker that other characters.
Maggie is different than other characters because she has something most of the Clint Eastwood characters didn't have. She is hardworking, and nice. Hilary Swank plays her very well, she is a character that everyone loves and enjoys them being on the screen.
The Hit Pit is a place that the greatest train. Everyone in The Hit Pit has aspired to be the best in the game, everybody has a lot of determination to get better. Nobody is there just for a easy workout or training session.
I am definitely liking this movie so far. It is your classic underdog story with a likable underdog that the audience roots for. Unlike many of the movies we have watched there aren't many characters that I don't like (I think there is only one). The character development in Frankie is well done, and Maggie's economic position and age make her dedication to boxing even more impressive. To be completely honest, I'm not the biggest fan of boxing. My dislike of boxing makes this movie a bit less interesting to me, but it's not anything that gets in the way of me liking the film. I am nervously waiting for the upcoming plot twist that turns this movie from a classic underdog movie into a tear-jerker.
ReplyDeleteThe connection that Frankie has with Maggie reminds me a lot of the connection that Walt has with Thao in "Grand Torino". Clint's character is a mentor to both Maggie and Thao. At first, he wants nothing to do with either of these characters but slowly softens up to both of them. Very similar to Walt, Frankie also is having trouble with the relationship with his child. Maggie sort of becomes Frankie's child in the same way as Thao almost becomes Walt's child. Both Frankie and Walt are placing these characters in the holes left by their real children. Frankie also reminds me a little bit of Bronco Billy. Everyone around him looks up to him even if he isn't perfect, and he has quite a following from his gym members.
Maggie is extremely loyal to Frankie. When Morgan Freeman's character, Edie, brings her to the diner to meet a possible new manager, she will have nothing to do with him. She wants to stay with Frankie. I think this is similar to the loyalty exhibited by the groups in both "Bronco Billy" and "The Outlaw Josey Wales". The protagonists in these movies have a group loyal to them because these groups all owe something to their leader. Maggie is loyal to Frankie because he trained her. Maggie is also very dedicated to boxing. She works to get better constantly. She invests every penny (literally) into this sport. Her dedication to the sport is something that reminds me a bit of Walt's eventual dedication to his neighbors. The connection is a bit stretched but I think it is still there. I also think her dedication to boxing is comparable to Will Munny's dedication to Ned. Both characters are very dedicated to something (boxing and a friend) and will put their well being in danger in order to achieve their goals.
The group that hangs around the Hit Pit reminds me of the group that performs in Bronco Billy's show. There is a great range of personality from Danger to Maggie, and they are all led by one man, Frankie. This is the same in Bronco Billy's show. All sorts of people are performers and they are all led by Bronco Billy. The Hit Pit seems like a haven for many similarly to Bronco Billy's show. In Billy's Show the performers are trying to escape the real world, while in the Hit Pit the members are finding a way to cope with the lives they lead.
I am enjoying this movie. All the characters are likable people. In past Clint Eastwood films, people are unable to resonate with the intended protagonist. In “Million Dollar Baby,” most of the characters are good people. Even Willie, the boxer who left Frankie, is a likable guy. Yes, he lets Frankie take him all the way to the title and abandons him, but he’s doing it for the right reasons. He has a kid and wife he needs to provide for. Also, I noticed this is the first Eastwood movie where race is really brought up. In the past movies, the theme was there, but Eastwood never pointed it out.
ReplyDeleteFrankie possesses the same tough, stoic, hard exterior that all of Eastwood’s lead roles have. He’s a very conservative and opinionated man. He is also a little prejudice and is very adamant about preserving his “no girls allowed” rule. Frankie is also dependable. He is a competent man, and many people rely on him. Eventually, Maggie is able to break down his hard exterior. Just like Will Munney, a woman enters Frankie’s life, and he begins to change his ways.
She reminds me of Chris Kyle. Both Chris and Maggie display perseverance. Although this is not mentioned in the movie, Chris Kyle did not pass BUD/S the first time, but he didn’t let that stop him. Furthermore, he made it his mission to kill Mustafa. Maggie is similar in that she doesn’t give up. She heard Frankie turn her down several times, but that just motivated her.
The Hit Pit is its own little neighborhood like Big Whiskey or Buckingham Flats. There is a hierarchy in the gym that is preserved. There’s a set of rules enforced by Frankie and Eddie. Frankie is the head of this whole rodeo. Everyone in the gym relies on Frankie.
Thus far I’m really enjoying the movie. It’s well paced, riveting and humorous when it needs to be. I think that just about every character in the film is likable, especially Eddie— How can you not love someone played by Morgan Freeman? I’m also a huge fan of Maggie. She’s incredibly tough and resilient, yet she has a sweet side. So far I’ve really enjoyed watching Maggie in the ring. I’ve always enjoyed watching boxing so this film really suits my interest. I honestly can not find a flaw with this movie so far. However, I’m sure I will when the tone of the film changes.
ReplyDeleteFrankie and Walt are practically the exact same character as both can be described as “lovable bigots.” Frankie comes across as a sexist with his initial reluctance to train Maggie while Walt is the epitome of a racist. Although, these two men are still lovable. One characteristic the two share is protectiveness. Walt is incredibly protective of his neighbors while Frankie is the same way with his fighters. Their protectiveness proves to be costly for the two similar protagonists as it costs Walt his live and Frankie a great boxer. However, Frankie proves that he has learned from his past mistakes when he allows Maggie to fight stronger competition in England.
Through all of the adversity she faces, Maggie still maintains an extremely positive attitude which is unlike any character we’ve seen so far. She doesn’t complain, nor does she turn to alcohol for comfort. She just keeps chasing a dream that seems impossible to outsiders. However, I’m scared that this upcoming tragedy is going to be something that severely hurts Maggie and could potentially take away her positivity.
This raggedy, old gym is more than just a place to come train. To many, it is a home-- A safe space where people of completely different backgrounds come together to do what they love. To Eddie, the gym is literally home and I’m pretty sure Maggie would live in the gym if allowed to do so. The Hit Pit shows that sports are more than just a good workout. They have the power to bring people together and impact lives.
1.
ReplyDeleteSo far I think the movie has been very good. I like the characters a lot. Especially Eddie who's played by Morgan freeman. I think the big thing that he adds in the film is another father figure. Frankie Dunne is a huge father figure to Maggie Fitzgerald, but he is more of a hard, strict father. It's a little like good cop bad cop. One is a easy going figure that is easy going, and one is very stubborn. Smart but stubborn.
2.
Frankie is a lot like a character we have seen before. He is very much like Walt Kowalski from Gran Torino. If this movie followed the normal plus from that film, Maghie is goi g to get really hurt or Morgan freeman will die. In gran Torino sue gets raped and beaten. Something along those lines would be expected, but I think Clint Eastwood is up to something else. He uses sexism instead of racism, and that could be something that will make the huge difference. Instead of showing extreme racism towards Tao, he shows sexism toward Maggie Fitzgerald. In Gran Torino, Walt shows racism through the entire film, but in this movie, the sexist remarks have stopped for the most part from Frankie Dunne.
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I don't think we have seen anyone like Maggie in the other Clint Eastwood films we have seen. Nobody we have seen has gone through what she has and then made their way to fame. She is hard working, bold, and very respectful. I was thinking that she was like Antoinette Lilly, but Ms. Lilly is not respectful from the beginning at all. She is actually very rude. That is why she isn't like antoinette Lilly.
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The hit pit is a home for all the people that go there to box and train, and it is an actual home for Eddie. His part in the gym is very interesting because I think it is implied that Frankie kind of saved him from hardships he would face. Without Frankie, Eddie would be nowhere. We have seen this before. The hit lit is a lot like the Wild West show in bronco billy. It helps people who are having a tough life enjoy it.
I don’t really like this movie so far. The main character lady is kind of annoying to me. I don’t know if it is just her persistence that annoys me but the way she caries her self in the film annoys me. I really didn’t like her in the begining of the movie but once she started fighting and knocking people out I started to like her a little more. I like Clint’s role in the movie, it suit him very well. He is the old wise boxing coach that knows everything there is to know about the art of boxing.
ReplyDeleteFrankie is the same character as he was in Unforgiven. He is a compasionate person that looks past the fact that Maggie is a woman and decides to help her out in every way he can. In Unforgiven he was he exact same, he even had an Indian woman for a wife and during those times that was very peculiar.
We haven’t really seen a character like her in any other Eastwood film. The biggest part of her is her persistence and how she is starting from the bottom. No one besides Thao has started the movie with no experience but he doesn’t have the over ruling persistence and courage that Maggie does. Also I have liked all the other characters in the movies, but for some reason I don’t like her. There is just something about her that annoys me but I cant put my finger to it. I bet by the end of the movie I will be able to figure it out.
I can’t think of a place like the hit pit that we have seen in any of Eastwood’s other movies. They are all very close everyone knows each other in the hit pit kind of like Chris Kyles tightly knit group of marine seals. But there is no place like the hit it where people hung out and went to everyday.
I really like the role that Morgan freeman plays, he is the only one that knows how much clint wants one last tittle. Morgan won't tell him deractly that she is his last chance but Morgan knows that. I don't like Maggie that much so far, I don't like her humor at all, she does the same thing over and over again. So far I woild not watch this movie On my own.
ReplyDeleteClint plays a deferent role than we have ever seen any of the other films, he is still a grumpy old man but he is not motivated by the lose of someone that we know of yet, in all the other movies someone dies motivating the main characters to and do what they have to so in order to set the table straight. Clint in this film is just a normal boxing traier who is a competitor taht wants his next title.
Maggie In body's his daughter, he has never liked women at least to our knowledge, he has never talked to his daughter in this movie and I'm pretty sure he is divorced. As soon as he sees the girl in his gym he wants her out, he will never train a girl but she stays consistent about asking Clint to be her trainer and now she has him. She shows him how to be connected to women again
You can relate it to the rodeo group of people from bronco billy in the since that all of them build on each other and rely on one another to do what needs to be done, they are a group of people that stay together to the end.