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The Great Script: Million Dollar Baby

Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby

Million Dollar Baby

(2004; Screenplay by Paul Haggis, based on stories by F.X. Toole; Directed by Clint Eastwood)


Million Dollar Baby is an incredibly focused story.  Screenwriter Paul Haggis achieves what I call “story cohesion” by making sure that every element logically flows from strong main dramatic elements while generating conflict.

The first level of focus is on a crucial element in the “Basic” portion of my outline method which is called Story Maps: Theme.

The theme of Million Dollar Baby is “second chances.”

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