A ‘Million Dollar’ question

In his column on the reviews of “Million Dollar Baby” and the movie’s “dark turn” that reviewers have kindly and atypically avoided mentioning [“Why the ‘Million Dollar’ Secret?” Feb. 5], Tim Rutten writes, “The problem with revealing too much [according to reviewers]

No, the problem with revealing too much is that it makes the experience of watching a movie less enjoyable.

Jim Woster

Los Angeles

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Comparing a movie to a painting is foolish, because a painting does not rely on narrative to achieve emotional weight and power. The impact of “Million Dollar Baby” is a result of the gradual force the narrative brings. Had I known that someone would die through an assisted suicide, I don’t think I could have watched with the same kind of involvement. Because I viewed the film unaware of what happens in the last half of the story, I was able to become thoroughly engaged with the characters and their triumphs, and then with the awful decision these characters must make. How often does that happen?

Steve Carrasco

Los Angeles

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Would “A Separate Peace” have the same impact if we knew all along where it’s headed? When “Ethan Frome” is taught in schools, should a teacher discuss the ending before students have a chance to experience the events leading up to it? How about “Catcher in the Rye”? “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter”? The list goes on.

Personally, I’m grateful to the critics guided by “readership demands” when they chose not to spoil my experience of “Million Dollar Baby.” Yes, spoil: The suddenness of the turn of events -- the fact that we do not see it coming -- is precisely what gives it such impact. Any good film critic could see that. I think Rutten said far too much himself.

Real life has unexpected turns that take our breath away. Why can’t films about real life be afforded the same?

Dawn O’Leary

Santa Monica

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Why does Rutten consider it churlish to reveal the twists in the “The Sixth Sense” and “The Crying Game” but believes himself charged with revealing the turn that propels “Million Dollar Baby” from a standard Big Game movie to one of the richest moviegoing experiences in recent years? Rutten’s complete cluelessness as to how people experience a narrative creation suggests that his ideal career track should have been fry cook with a blog on the side.

His column is called “Regarding Media.” I wish he showed more regard for audiences.

Mike Martineau

Studio City

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As a female athlete, I had planned to see “Million Dollar Baby,” thinking it was about a woman challenging herself physically, competing and winning. Then I find out that [a character] becomes a quadriplegic and wishes to commit suicide.

Boy, would I have felt tricked if I had gone to see this film. Life has enough tragedy in it; this film would have been very depressing. I am glad I didn’t pay $8 for two hours of something like that.

Rutten is right: The reviewers should have mentioned these issues. Not only could those so interested go in understanding what they were getting into, those not interested could stay away and save their time, money and heartache.

Crista Worthy

Pacific Palisades

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I wonder why it is that, in the midst of an article devoted to denigrating critics who refrain from revealing too much of the film’s plot, Tim Rutten at one point suddenly and mysteriously gets all shy himself when describing “Million Dollar Baby’s” crucial “dark turn” and decides to sidestep identifying exactly which character winds up quadriplegic and which one is asked to assist in the death.

It’s a curious and inconsistent blip in his perverse argument that makes me wonder if he doesn’t secretly side with those who have fallen so short of their potential as critics, and if his whole strange premise is the crux of an April Fool’s joke carried out about two months early.

Dennis Cozzalio

Glendale