Day by Day with Gina

Million-Dollar Disappointment

Yesterday, my husband and I watched Academy Award-winning blockbuster, Million Dollar Baby. I had heard nothing but good things about it, and the rent was free, so what did we have to lose? I figured this was a feel-good, underdog-turns-champion kind of movie, and I needed that kind of a pick-me-up after a long week at school.
Why didn't somebody warn me? I don't know if nobody saw it or nobody wanted to give it away or if people just didn't think about mentioning it at all, but I am a bit surprised that my local community (of which there are many Christians) didn't seem to speak out about this sorely disappointing movie.
Let me first say that the movie, from a business, acting, and production standpoint, was very impressive. Clint Eastwood did an excellent job, as did Hillary Swank and Morgan Freeman.
Let me also say that if you don't want me to give away the ending, you'll need to skip to the next post.
Maggie (Swank), a young lady in her thirties from lower-class America, has a dream of being a boxer. Dunn (Eastwood), a much older man who is a professional boxing trainer, finally decides to train Maggie after months of her persistence. He trains her, gets her ready for the world championship against a merciless and violent opponent, and she is actually winning the fight. During a break between rounds, however, the opponent hits Maggie when she isn't looking and Maggie falls on a stool, breaking her neck and paralyzing her from there down. She can't even breathe without a respirator.
Maggie, in her desperation, asks Dunn to take her life since she can't do it herself. At first, he refuses, and a very naive part of me hopes that he will encourage her to live, help her become functional, and show the world that, yes, a paraplegic can contribute to society and lead a meaningful life.
But no, he disconnects her respirator, gives her a shot of adrenaline, and she dies. And the movie ends with him being some kind of "hero." No one explores the fact that it is 1) wrong and 2) illegal. He does go and get counseling from his "priest" (I put that in quotes because it was a very lame excuse for a religious leader character), but the "priest" tells him to "forget God and heaven." Now, that's advice you want to hear from your religious leader. "You're struggling with a very difficult ethical dilemma. Let me encourage you not to think about God and truth and the consequences of your actions. Only think about yourself."
This is the kind of movie that our society heralded as "Best Picture." I am not surprised by this, because spiritual death begets cultural death. I am disappointed at this unfortunate "celebration" of a person who gave up on overcoming their circumstances and another person who actively helped in the giving up. What about Christopher Reeve? What about the many heroes daily who live with paralysis and do great things? Why can't we celebrate them?
I am also disappointed that, even in my Southern Baptist, Bible-belt world, there was not more outspoken response to a blatantly unethical film.
Thank God I didn't contribute a dollar to seeing this movie.

posted by Gina @ 7:22 AM