Movies: 'The Fighter' Review
Movie:
The Fighter
Genre:
Biography, Drama, Sport
The Verdict:
A Knockout by Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale
Rating: 4 Stars
STARRING:
Mark Wahlberg
Christian Bale
Amy Adams
Melissa Leo
Mickey O'Keefe
Jack McGee
Melissa McMeekin
Bianca Hunter
The Fighter is a boxing movie, sure, but like all good sports movies it's about the struggle and rise of something more important than a sports champ. The story is not as predictable or cheesy like the dated but classic Rocky and although there are similarities to the complex Raging Bull, the main character isn't as self-destructive as legendary Robert de Niro's 'Jake LaMotta'. There is definitely more going on here. The brothers' struggles are not just subjective to fighting in the boxing ring - Micky is fighting to rise from the shadow of his 'boxing legend' and 'local hero' brother Dicky while also fighting his trashy, money-hungry Boston-based family. His mother in particular (Melissa Leo), wants to continue managing his career by choosing his fights and having Dicky train him. Dicky on the otherhand, is a crack addict and is fighting to win back his career, livelihood and mainly his dignity. As you can imagine this sets the scene for many power struggles.
Christian Bale's portrayal of
Dicky is so funny, mind-boggling and brilliant that at times you nearly forget
that this movie is based on the real life story of 'Irish' welterweight
boxing champion Micky Ward - Mark Wahlberg's character.Not that Mark Wahlberg's performance standard has slipped to anything less than fabulous as usual. Also, Amy Adams plays Charlene; Micky's spit-firing college drop-out bartender girlfriend who plays the role with such force you forget she was little miss innocent nurse Brenda Strong in Catch Me If You Can! She gets noticed!
The editing in certain parts of this movie, however, is questionable. Understandably, the style is meant to be slightly gritty or look 'chopped' but there are a couple of dodgy cuts - one scene I recall where Micky and Charlene are in bed together cuts straight to Micky walking to her house to pick her up for a date ??!! Eh? Otherwise this is a terrifically entertaining movie and darkly funny too. And the great thing is you don't have to be a boxing fan to enjoy it!