Million Dollar Baby: Clint Eastwood plays boxing trainer, Frankie Dunn, a man who has become emotionally locked up and unable to allow himself to get close to anyone since a painful estrangement from his daughter. Frankie runs an LA gym with ex-boxer, Eddie Scrap-Iron (Morgan Freeman) who narrates the story. Into Frankie's life walks Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), a young woman whose life has been a constant struggle but who is determined to be a boxer - with Frankie as her trainer. Frankie tells her she is too old and that he does not train girls - but by sheer force of will, she wins him over and he takes her on. Their relationship is both confrontational and inspiring for both as they head towards a championship match at which point tragedy strikes and the two discover that in each other they have been able to overcome the losses of their pasts.

The Hurricane: The Academy Award nominated drama about the imprisoned boxer Rubin Carter, as superbly played by Denzel Washington with a supporting cast consisting of Deborah Kara Unger, Liv Schreiber and Rod Steiger. Rubin "Hurricane" Carter is an African-American man who rose above his troubled youth in his ambition to become a top contender for the middle-weight boxing title. His dreams are shattered however, when he is accused of a triple murder, and is convicted to three natural-life terms.