Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, and Amy Adams
Directed by: David O. Russell
There's a new pride of Lowell, Massachusetts, and his name is Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg). Based on true events, "The Fighter" is a dramatic, action packed boxing movie sure to please just about everyone.
Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), the former pride of Lowell and a famous boxer from the 1970s is on his way to making a comback, and HBO is documenting it. While this sounds great, Dicky's brother Mickey, also a professional boxer is having troubles himself. Mickey is a "stepping stone" for other boxers to go for championships. In other words, he's not very good. He needs Dicky to train him, but a possible contract with a boxing agency in Las Vegas threatens Dicky's ability to train Mickey because they won't allow Dicky to go. Will Mickey improve his boxing skills with or without Dicky? How will everyone in his family feel about this, including Mickey's new girlfriend Charlene (Amy Adams)?
In terms of acting, this film is rather mixed. Some people are better than others, and others don't quite seem into their character as best they could be. Christian Bale is excellent at playing Dicky Eklund. At the beginning of the end credits, there is a scene with the real Dicky Eklund and Mickey Ward, and Christian Bale's depiction of Dicky is almost exactly the same way the real Dicky is in that clip. I believe Bale has been nominated a golden globe for best supporting actor for "The Fighter". I don't usually find him to be that impressive of an actor, but he absolutely deserves this nomination and I hope he wins it as well. Mark Wahlberg was less impressive, but I still enjoyed his performance. He is more of a quiet and reserved character, not the in-your-face character he is in some of his previous roles such as Staff Sgt. Dignam in 2006's "The Departed". He rarely fails to impress me, and unfortunately, I am not impressed with his portrayal of Mickey Ward.
I enjoyed the overall story of this film. I am happy that it's based on a true story because if it weren't, it would seem like another "Rocky" movie. The issue with boxing movies is that many of them are very similar and thus unoriginal. While "The Fighter" is not that original of a film, I enjoyed seeing a film about two boxing greats that I had never heard of until now. In a case like mine, the film is successful in bringing the boxing world to light. While I have never really followed boxing like I follow other sports, "The Fighter" gives me a new found appreciation for the sport, especially because it accurately portrays what life is like for upcoming stars like Mickey Ward and falling stars like Dicky Eklund, and the struggles they face in their rise to fame or in their hopes for a comeback career.
In the end, this is a film worth watching. I am glad that it was released at the time it was because if it were released at another time, like during the summer, it probably wouldn't be as highly considered by the Academy. I think it definitely deserves some awards in this upcoming award season, but not quite as many as it is nominated for.
3 out of 4 stars.
Directed by: David O. Russell
There's a new pride of Lowell, Massachusetts, and his name is Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg). Based on true events, "The Fighter" is a dramatic, action packed boxing movie sure to please just about everyone.
Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), the former pride of Lowell and a famous boxer from the 1970s is on his way to making a comback, and HBO is documenting it. While this sounds great, Dicky's brother Mickey, also a professional boxer is having troubles himself. Mickey is a "stepping stone" for other boxers to go for championships. In other words, he's not very good. He needs Dicky to train him, but a possible contract with a boxing agency in Las Vegas threatens Dicky's ability to train Mickey because they won't allow Dicky to go. Will Mickey improve his boxing skills with or without Dicky? How will everyone in his family feel about this, including Mickey's new girlfriend Charlene (Amy Adams)?
In terms of acting, this film is rather mixed. Some people are better than others, and others don't quite seem into their character as best they could be. Christian Bale is excellent at playing Dicky Eklund. At the beginning of the end credits, there is a scene with the real Dicky Eklund and Mickey Ward, and Christian Bale's depiction of Dicky is almost exactly the same way the real Dicky is in that clip. I believe Bale has been nominated a golden globe for best supporting actor for "The Fighter". I don't usually find him to be that impressive of an actor, but he absolutely deserves this nomination and I hope he wins it as well. Mark Wahlberg was less impressive, but I still enjoyed his performance. He is more of a quiet and reserved character, not the in-your-face character he is in some of his previous roles such as Staff Sgt. Dignam in 2006's "The Departed". He rarely fails to impress me, and unfortunately, I am not impressed with his portrayal of Mickey Ward.
I enjoyed the overall story of this film. I am happy that it's based on a true story because if it weren't, it would seem like another "Rocky" movie. The issue with boxing movies is that many of them are very similar and thus unoriginal. While "The Fighter" is not that original of a film, I enjoyed seeing a film about two boxing greats that I had never heard of until now. In a case like mine, the film is successful in bringing the boxing world to light. While I have never really followed boxing like I follow other sports, "The Fighter" gives me a new found appreciation for the sport, especially because it accurately portrays what life is like for upcoming stars like Mickey Ward and falling stars like Dicky Eklund, and the struggles they face in their rise to fame or in their hopes for a comeback career.
In the end, this is a film worth watching. I am glad that it was released at the time it was because if it were released at another time, like during the summer, it probably wouldn't be as highly considered by the Academy. I think it definitely deserves some awards in this upcoming award season, but not quite as many as it is nominated for.
3 out of 4 stars.
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