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January 11, 2005
Million Dollar Baby
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a negative reaction to Clint Eastwood's new movie Million Dollar Baby.
Two more views:
Jeffrey Overstreet at CT liked it
Steve Drake of Ragged Edge Online, a disability rights journal, has another view
(Overstreet's review doesn't have spoilers, but Drake's does, as does the extended post here, so be forewarned. But you really should read it, anyway...)
From Drake's piece:
This movie is a corny, melodramatic assault on people with disabilities. It plays out killing as a romantic fantasy and gives emotional life to the "better dead than disabled" mindset lurking in the heart of the typical (read: nondisabled) audience member.
Posted by Amy Welborn | Permalink
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Comments
Thanks for posting this Amy. What a great review by Drake. I had no idea what this movie was about but didn't mind the spoilers (I probably won't see it because like Drake I've never really understood the appeal boxing either...for men let alone women). His last line was very apropos. We do live in dangerous times, indeed.
Honestly, so many movies these days give me the creeps. "Vera Drake." "Kinsey." And now apparently we're about to be treated to a sympathetic portrayal of "Dr." Kevorkian (sp?)
I don't understand why otherwise reasonable people can't see how quickly a "right" to die can become a duty to die.
Posted by: Cheryl at Jan 12, 2005 11:06:58 AM
I liked the Drake piece very much. I would note that I think he's mistaken to assume Roger Ebert's ill will; I think Ebert would be surprised at and interested in many of the things Drake has to say.
Cheryl writes:
I don't understand why otherwise reasonable people can't see how quickly a "right" to die can become a duty to die.
To address a related (and far more trivial) point, I don't understand why people who make films about this issue don't take that side of the argument more seriously, if only to make their movies more interesting. By way of comparison, Tim Robbins made the point about his film "Dead Man Walking" that it wouldn't have been worth making if the audience didn't understand at some level why reasonable people would believe the Sean Penn character should be executed.
Posted by: alkali at Jan 12, 2005 1:00:31 PM
This seems to fit Clint's basic philosophy as exhibited most notably in his "Dirty Harry" movies: 'we could solve a lot of society's problems, if you would just let us kill some more people.'
more at my blog www.imsoglad.blogspot.com
Posted by: Skip James at Jan 13, 2005 11:08:20 AM
No comment on this - just another faboulous try!
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