Fighter [DVD] [2010] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

The Fighter is directed by David O. Russell and collectively written by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson and Keith Dorrington. It stars Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo. Music is by Michael Brook and cinematographer for the film is Hoyte van Hoytema. Film is based on the true life tale of boxer "Irish" Micky Ward (Wahlberg), who had to battle thru family strife to give himself a chance of achieving something in the sport.

The synopsis is simple because the film is simple, but sometimes with simplicity comes great things. Such is the case with The Fighter, a boxing film that is that rare old animal of being a cliché riddled sports film: yet one that's totally raw and uplifting into the bargain. The film had a long gestation period, big names such as Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, Darren Aronofsky were attached at one point, Scorsese, too, was in the frame to helm at one point, but still Wahlberg couldn't get his dream project off the ground. But all's well that ends well, for as it turned out, Russell, his director on I ' Huckabees & Three Kings, stepped into the ring and with Bale now on board too, the elements were in place for a Raging Bull/Rocky of this millennium. Is The Fighter worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence as Marty & Sly's pugilistic punchers? Hell yes it is, in fact it carries the gritty tone akin to the former and the feel good factor of the latter.

That Russell has managed to rise above the pitfalls of sports movie formula is an impressive achievement, more so given that this is treading the well worm path of rags-to-riches and triumph over adversity, but he is helped immeasurably by the performances of the principals in the cast. Wahlberg is the heart of the picture, physically he fits the bill anyway, but he has to play conflicted emotion to perfection, as Micky is pulled from pillar to post by all around him, to truly make Ward work. And he does. Bale, in the beginning, you feel is going to lay out a method turn reliant on another one of his punishing physical changes. Yet as the elder Ward brother-a fallen sportsman himself-now a crack addicted dope under the impression he's making a comeback-Bale manages to elicit empathy, sympathy and a request for us to root him out of his rut: quite a feat given the character's obvious fallibility's as kin. Adams as "the girlfriend" is spunky, brassy and tough as old boots, it's great to see her get a role so stripped down and raw it lets her showcase her dramatic talents. Rounding out the four pronged propeller of quality thesping is Leo as mother Alice. Brilliantly boisterous, angry and a maternal maelstrom of ignorant parenting, in another's hands this could have been caricature mundanity.

Some missteps exist, such as relegating Adams to the back ground in the last quarter, and for sure the final fight, although well edited and potent, is far too short and rushed to 100% capitalise on the swell of support built up for Micky up to that point. But they are minor gripes, itches easily scratched at when judging the film as a whole. For this is an uplifter for our times; a sports movie that comfortably sits up at the top with the best of them. Bravo. 9.5/10

There have been plenty of movies about professional boxing, both biographical and fictional. The Fighter is a very worthwhile addition to that list.
It is based on the life of Micky Ward(Mark Wahlberg), a boxer from Massachusetts. He is a gutsy fighter with some potential but fears he may have missed his chance at the big time. He is trained by his half-brother, Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), who still tries to live off the fame of knocking down Sugar Ray Leonard over ten years before. His mother (Melissa Leo) manages Ward rather poorly; signing him for fights he cannot win. She is a larger than life figure who treats Eklund as her favourite son. She ignores that Eklund is a drug addict and this is reducing Ward's chance of success. Eventually Eklund's lifestyle causes him to end up in jail.

However Ward, an easygoing man, is slow to rock the boat until he starts going out with a local barmaid (Amy Adams). She sees both his potential and the way he is being badly treated by his family. With her support he confronts them and tells them he is getting a new manager. Suffice it to say his mother does not take this too well.

The rest of the movie charts Ward's increasing success and what happens when Eklund is released from prison.

The performances are generally excellent. Christian Bale has rightly received plaudits for playing Eklund. A youtube search shows that his portrayal of him as a rather annoying non-stop talker is pretty accurate! Wahlberg is highly impressive in the less flashy role of Ward. He accurately portrays his frustration at the way his career is fading as well as his love for his family members who are causing that to happen. I thought Melissa Leo played the mother as an almost cartoonish character and this grated slightly with me. If she is as she comes across in the film in real life she must be impossible to live with! Her brood of daughters are similarly portrayed as being intimidating to say the least.

The boxing scenes are shown as if they are appearing on a TV screen and I found this, as well as the excellent fight choreography, made the scenes very authentic

The Fighter is the true story of Micky Ward (Played by Mark Wahlberg - Shooter) a Massachusetts raised boxer who has spent his entire life in the shadow of his older half-brother - Dicky Eklund (played by Christian Bale - The Machinist) who once went toe-to-toe with 'Sugar' Ray Leonard and even knocked him down - probably. Micky is managed and trained by his overbearing Mother and now crack-addicted brother and begins to think that it isn't his capacity as a boxer that is holding him back, it's having to carry his family around. When Micky meets Charlene (Amy Adams) she gives him the courage & inspiration to stride out on his own and try for the welterweight title.

Draped in a true story, the Fighter is an epic 'against-the-odds' story of a working class hero. The Fighter is well acted, with both of the protagonists going through some pretty extreme physical regimes to play the welterweight boxer and crack-addict former boxer, it's all very convincing but given that Wahlberg is from a working-class Massachusetts family, it's not much of a stretch for him as he fits the role perfectly. More impressive is Bale's dedication to the role of Dicky, slimming down massively and learning Micky's distinctive Boston-drawl to play a very touching role of a man fallen from glory who's very existence is defined by a single moment in his past "I knocked down Sugar-Ray dontcha know?". The supporting cast are all very capable, especially Micky's mother who doubles up as his manager and his venomous gaggle of gossip sisters.

Whilst almost all boxing movies are compared to a Rocky this has a pretty minimal amount of boxing in it and really can't be. The final fight will have you on the edge of your seat as you will Micky to win the title, but by-and-large, the main dynamic of the film is Micky struggling with his brother whom he can't be without, his mother and his love-life. It's an honestly touching story and I ended up really feeling for the characters - it's that well directed by David O. Russell. The soundtrack is fantastic as well. So it's a great film and has won or been nominated for a slew of industry awards - the majority of which are Best Supporting Actor for Bale's performance of Dicky - this has to be to the chagrin of Wahlberg who ushered this from a script all the way to this cinematic epic.

Highly recommended!