Episode 271 - Million Dollar Baby (w/ BFF of the BFE: Shai Bergerfroind)

"Mo cuishle." Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian and Liam (B-Tech Kev & Megs are off hitting the heavy bag) – as we're heading to The Hit Pit to step into the ring for a tale of grit, heartbreak, and emotional uppercuts in Million Dollar Baby (2004). Your prizefighting pair, Ian and Liam are joined by our own special trainer, BFF of the BFE: Shai Bergerfroind to teach us the ropes of this Clint Eastwood critical darling. We’re trading in our cornfields for boxing gloves and diving into our 271st episode as we discuss:

• How Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, and Morgan Freeman all deliver Oscar-worthy punches.

• Can this movie still pack a punch if you're not a boxing fan?

• Is this a sports movie or another relationship movie using sports as a backdrop?

• Was the emotional KO in the final act earned or below the belt?

• How Million Dollar Baby jabs at themes of ambition, identity, and the cost of chasing glory.

• What is the price of excellence?  What is the cost of guilt?

• How crucial is the final bell – does the ending seal the legacy?

• Did Maggie Fitzgerald get robbed by fate? What about Frankie’s corner man heartbreak?

• Who does Shai think had a vendetta against Clint Eastwood?  Who do they think Shai may have as a 2nd persona?

• Is there a certain type of viewer that just can't deal with the unexpected ending

• Whether Million Dollar Baby is the undisputed Best Film Ever.