Movies Reviews

The Fighter – Movie Review

By Anne Brodie Dec 9, 2010, 1:08 GMT

Dramatic story chronicles life of “Irish” Micky Ward’s road to the world lightweight championship. Irish was helped on his road to the title by his step brother Dicky, who was a boxer but was beaten by drugs and crime but returned to the ring as a trainer. ...more

A date movie this is not, as your date may want to pummel you afterwards, aroused to fight or flight with the intense action herein.  The Fighter is about as realistic a fight film as there has been, if that’s what you want.  But strangely, the fight sequences, which are endless, are rhythmic, mesmerizing and are, even for a non-fight fan – ultimately fascinating. 

This is a remarkable story of the intricate webs of life in a certain corner of the world where family can be your best friend or your worst enemy, where fighting is a religion and there’s no safe refuge.  It’s based on a true story.

David O. Russell’s shifting, flowing, seemingly boundary-less film is a study of a pair of Boston fighters "Irish" Micky Ward and his big brother and trainer Dickie Eklund.  They both became boxing champions in the 70’s and 80’s, both “the pride of Lowell Mass” despite hellacious obstacles and their circumstances. 

They were products of a particular place and time and routinely encountered violence, extreme dysfunction and despair, and for Dickie, the lure of crack.
 
Micky’s on the road to a solid career as a boxer, but he misses important opportunities because of the family’s pugnacious interference and unconventional ‘business’ methods. 

Dickie’s crack addiction renders him a liability and eventually it catches Micky in its ugliness; mother and brother love him but they are out of control with drugs and toxic ambition and threaten Micky’s sanity and life. 

Enter the girlfriend (Adams) who is just as tough as the family, but plays for the good side and pushes him to leave the family for a new start in Vegas.
Mark Wahlberg has staked a lot on this story- which apparently echoes his own rough background – including a career defining performance and credibility as a producer and visionary. 

He hired the best talent – Melissa Leo to play his hard bitten, soulless mother, Christian Bale to play his severely crack addicted brother and a brilliant supporting cast of Any Adams, Jack McGee,  and a gritty Greek chorus of blood simple sisters.

Special kudos for Bale who returns to his Mechanic starvation persona for his role; his manic, addict energy astonishes.  He could net some award nominations but his performance sometimes threatens to go over the top.  Leo is pure evil thunder and will also likely reap awards notice because she IS the thunder. 

The film is unusual in that it has such strong female roles.  These are woman who love and hate hard; the mother whose mind is constantly ticking and on the verge of meltdown and Micky’s nine sisters who are harpies, devil maidens, judge and jury and operate as a single unit.

Fistfights are an important part of life in their world useful when delivering personal messages to Micky’s girlfriend.

Russell has worked some magic, after a slow start.  His film is chaotic and rough a perfect mirror of the people he’s bringing to life.

Visit the movie database for more information.

35 mm drama
Written by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasay, Eric Johnson, Keith Dorrington
Directed by David O. Russell
Opens: Dec 10
MPAA: Rated R for language throughout, drug content, some violence and sexuality
Runtime: 96 minutes
Country: USA
Language: Language