The Fighter Review

                                                          3 Nuts!

Director: David O. Russell

Another boxing movie, but once you’ve seen one, haven’t you really seen them all?  This is the question I asked myself as I walked into see The Fighter.  By the end of the film, my answer was well, sort of.  The film is about Micky Ward, played by Mark Wahlberg.  Ward is a professional boxer in the1980s and 1990s who, with the help of his half brother Dicky, his coach, has a chance to become a great fighter.  Dicky, played by Christian Bale, is a washed up, drug addicted, has been boxer.  Dicky is remembered for having once knocked down the famous Sugar Ray Leonard many years ago.  Dicky lives in the past. In contrast, Micky feels that now is his time to become a champion.  In their family’s eyes Dicky is the favorite, even though he’s a real f*** up.

What makes this film different from other boxing stories is Dicky.  Christian Bale absolutely steals the show with his powerhouse performance as the quirky brother.  While the audience watches the story of Micky’s boxing journey, his brother is simultaneously being filmed for an HBO documentary about crack addiction.  In Dicky’s mind, the documentary is about his boxing comeback, but we know the truth, that it’s simply a documentary chronicling his addiction.  Bale’s performance is outstanding and completely convincing.  Some of the most powerful scenes of this film were driven by Bale’s passionate portrayal.   It’s not that Wahlberg's performance isn't good, but Bale’s portrayal is so grippingly convincing that he wins the audience over. 

Micky’s family is a little strange but entertaining.  He has seven sisters who all seem to be unmarried and all still living at home with their mother.  The sister’s interactions with Micky’s girlfriend played by Amy Adams, are comical absurdities.  Micky’s girlfriend wants Micky to take his fighting in one direction while the family feels differently.  In the end it’s really up to Micky to do what he believes is best.

In my opinion the boxing elements of the film all seem generic. The film has no big surprises.  It has everything you would expect out of a typical boxing film.  Regardless, the film is good. 

In a peaNut Shell:  This is a good boxing film.  It has some elements that are new to the genre however at times it feels like a film we’ve all seen before. The boxing scenes, although short, are rather enjoyable and intense.  Bale’s performance is phenomenal and watching him on screen is well worth your time and money.