The world could learn a lot from Clint Eastwood. He, more than any other American director of our time, is aware of the contradictions that lie within every man, even the so-called “heroes.” In the most important scene of “Mystic River,” Anabeth (Laura Linney), not knowing (and not caring) that her husband has killed an (innocent) man, assures Jimmy (Sean Penn) that he will always do what is bes t for his family. No matter what that may include, she and their children will continue to admire him as a powerful and brave man. Sean Penn plays a character who is at once a hero and a bully; powerful and weak. He wants to avenge the brutal murder of his daughter and, to do so, brutally murders an innocent man. He has a terrible feeling he did something wrong but his wife convinces him that he did what he had to do. If you are watching and listening carefully, “Mystic River” is much more than Hollywood entertainment. It is an outright attack on the values of our society. Eastwood holds up a mirror to American society and reflects on a world that is far from admirable–a world full of contradictions that are exposed in violence. Violence, Eastwood tells us, is what gives us a reason to live and what ultimately destroys us, literally or not.
If you saw “Mystic River” and “Million Dollar Baby” but didn’t know the director behind the films, it would not take much to realize that they are both creations of the same auteur. Eastwood’s lighting is singular and impeccable. While most directors light characters entirely so that we will “see” them, Eastwood only partially lights his characters and makes us see much more. His lighting shows us, without having the narrative tell us explicitly, that his characters are mysterious and dark; men whose pasts we do not know, and men who retain secrets even after the film has ended. Most Hollywood films are not this way. Most Hollywood films tell you all you need to know about the main character(s) in the first twenty minutes. Eastwood knows that men are not that simple. Moreover, he knows that WE know men are not that simple. So when we watch his films, there is something familiar about his characters, something that we can recognize in ourselves, our families, and our neighbors. This is why Clint Eastwood can make films that stick with us after we have left the theater; films that really hurt.
“Million Dollar Baby” is about a stubborn old man who takes a chance on a girl and on himself. A woman who fights her way into life and fights her way out. An observant janitor who watches these two characters, pushes them towards one another, and steps back to narrate the film. And a young mentally retarded boy who, like Tim Robbins in “Mystic River,” is too weak and too innocent. All of the actors in this film give amazing performances, in particular Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman. Freeman, the narrator, plays a very important role in the film, watching and listening (like the viewer) as the story unfolds. His best moment comes at the end when he stands in silence in response to a remark Eastwood has made. His silence, his figure, is powerful and telling, reminiscent of the great stars of the silent era like Emil Jannings. Eastwood, in one of his best performances of his career, plays a character who—like most Eastwood characters—remains a mystery until the very end. He is not a character we particularly like, but we accept him and at times are even entertained by his smart-ass remarks. In addition, Eastwood looks quite handsome despite his old age.
So, who will win the Oscar for best film? In my opinion, though I haven’t seen “Ray” or “Finding Neverland,” it’s between “Million Dollar Baby” and “The Aviator.” I enjoyed both of these films very much so I do not especially care which one wins. But here is something to consider: when “The Aviator” ended I got up from my seat feeling that I had seen a really well-made entertaining film. Okay, I won’t lie… I loved it. But the audience got up soon after the film ended, voices filled the theater, and everyone left the theater quickly, ready to move on to something else. When “Million Dollar Baby” ended, the theater remained quiet. The majority of the people in the audience stayed throughout most of the credits—pretty rare. No one said a word. When I left the theater and went home, I was still thinking about “Million Dollar Baby.”
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