The Fighter (2010)

so, this was a movie that flew off my radar until VERY recently, and then it started suddenly showing up in all the year end award nominations, so i saw it. i was ambivalent about it from the first time i saw the trailer, mainly because it's another in a long series of boxing movies, stretching back to the silent era. the boxing genre is practically as old as film itself, and the best of the bunch will always be Raging Bull (1980) and the original Rocky (1976). i honestly felt that there was literally nothing new or interesting that could be done in another movie about a boxer, even if it was based on a true story. but, The Fighter IS a good movie, and it's a lot more about family drama than it is about boxing. the main character's dream could have been another sport or profession altogether and the movie would still work.

Directed by David O'Russell, it stars Mark Wahlberg as Mickey Ward, an up and coming fighter in the early 90's, who lives under the management of his overbearing mother Alice (Melissa Leo), and is trained by his older brother Dickie (Christian Bale), a local legend in Lowell, MA because he was once a good fighter himself, who managed to knock out Sugar Ray Leonard in the late 70's. now Dickie is a crack addict and a screw-up, yet still manages to impart some decent fighting tips to Mickey once in a while. overall, Mickey is completely dominated by his  obnoxious family (that includes 7 sisters), who manage him badly and are preventing him from moving forward with his talent. then he meets Charlene (Amy Adams), a bartender who sees that his family is the problem and helps him to move forward, ultimately clashing with Alice and Dickie along the way.

The acting is phenomenal in this movie. all the supporting characters shine, but ESPECIALLY Christian Bale as Dickie. Bale has always been a good and somewhat overlooked actor, but here he has finally gotten the part that's garnering him the recognition he deserves. He dominates virtually the entire movie, mastering the mannerisms and behavior of a crack addict, letting everyone down, yet sweet talking his way out of other people's anger with him. Dickie has a kind of tragic story, yet he somehow manages to come across as the funniest and most likeable character in the film. i think i predicted that Geoffrey Rush would win Best Supporting Actor a while ago, but i have to take it back now and say Bale is a lock to win this. he'll get it hands down. and two other actors here will also be nominated, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams. they're both great here as well, and i'd bet that one of them will likely be winning. i'm gonna say Adams for now, because she's more well-known, this role as a trash talking tough girl is a pretty decent stretch for her, and this will be her 3rd nomination in 4 years. Wahlberg as Mickey is fine, but he's pretty much dominated by all the supporting characters, and i think that's the point of Mickey anyway. he lets his family and his handlers walk all over him, can't speak for himself, and they all get in the way of what's supposed to be HIS dream.

The movie is very involving, stylishly directed by O'Russell, excellently portrays a time and place in a rundown, blue collar city and the people who live there....i would highly recommend The Fighter for all the reasons that have nothing to do with boxing.