'Girlie, sometimes tough ain't enough.'

I don't think I have enough superlatives to describe my feelings after returning home just a few minutes ago from viewing "Million Dollar Baby" with Clint Eastwood, Hillary Swank and Morgan Freeman. Simply put, it is among the best films I have seen in several years.

Good film does more than just tell you a story. It inspires. It makes the viewer think. It stirs emotions. It lifts the spirit. It suspends the viewer's recognition of time and place and makes the viewer experience what the characters experience.

I went to this show expecting to see a good story with excellent acting. I left feeling satisfied -- satisfied about the performances, about the themes and about the message of the film. Clint Eastwood has crafted a movie of quality that has a message of loss and redemption, of dealing with guilt and personal demons, of taking a risk and taking a stand. The biblical allusions alone could keep an English teacher working for hours. To see a film with just one or two themes and messages or strong performances is an exception today; to see a film that combines rich performances with strong ideas is rare and deserving recognition.

I hope this picture receives many accolades. All those involved deserve it. Eastwood, Swank and Freeman are all nominated for Academy Awards, and the film is up for Best Picture of the Year. Eastwood has never been better, and I hope the Academy voters acknowledge that.

-- Wenatchee, Wash.