As a "network premiere" I notice this is being quite heavily trailed, but that's no bad thing as it's an excellent movie on all levels. Regular readers will know I'm a sucker for anything with Morgan Freeman in it, and Clint Eastwood makes so few movies these days that he tends only to pick good ones. But it's Hilary Swank who steals the film from both of these old hands. Her performance as the determined wannabe boxer Maggie Fitzgerald is pitch-perfect, intense and, in the end, extremely moving.

The Academy thought so too and awarded Swank the Oscar in 2004 for Best Actress. Million Dollar Baby also snapped up three others - Best Supporting Actor for Freeman, Best Picture and Best Director (also for Eastwood) - as well as securing 45 other awards.

Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) is semi-retired. He now runs a back-street gym but in his time he's trained and managed some of the most successful fighters in the world and spent his lifetime in and around the ring. He has one important lesson that he teaches all his boxers: just like in real life, you always have to protect yourself.

Frankie's success with boxing is not reflected in his private life. He's estranged from his daughter, and hasn't let himself get close to anyone for a very long time. One person he does trust implicitly is Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris (Freeman), an ex-boxer who looks after Frankie's gym. Scrap knows that beneath Frankie's gruff exterior is a man who is hurting and who's been looking for redemption for 25 years. Then one day Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank), a poor waitress from the bottom of the heap, walks into his gym. Frankie doesn't take her seriously at first, but with dedication and balls, and a little bit of help from Scrap who recognises her potential, she convinces Frankie to coach her and be her manager.

Million Dollar Baby: C4, Sunday 3 February, 9.15pm

Worth a look:
(Almost too many good films to list this week. Channels are tripping over themselves in tributes to Heath Ledger (R.I.P.Heath). Here's a selection, but there are more)
Dawn of the Dead: BBC Two, Sunday 3 February, 00.40am
A Knight's Tale: Film4, Sunday 3 February, 9pm
The Matrix: ITV1, Monday 4 February, 10.35pm
The Bourne Supremacy: ITV2, Monday 4 February, 9pm
Trainspotting: Film4, Thursday 7 February, 1am