After seeing Ben Affleck’s “The Town” earlier this fall, I didn’t think I would see a film that captures the essence of living in Massachusetts better this year. I was wrong! Director David O. Russell’s The Fighter absolutely and lovingly captures what it means to be from New England, and I should know … I grew up there. Much like I recognized friends that I once knew in Jeremy Renner’s performance in “The Town,” I was shocked to see resemblances of the families I grew up with in the performances of the four lead actors in “The Fighter.” Melissa Leo nailed playing the tough New England mom with nine children and Amy Adams is equally impressive as a tough, tough Massachusetts chic. Mark Wahlberg is a rock in this movie and gives the best performance of his career. He carries the film with a performance that is not as showy as some of his co-stars but is the backbone of the movie. But it is Christian Bale that will be accepting much of the film’s accolades for his brilliant and realistic portrayal of a fallen hero, addicted to crack and looking for redemption.
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The film tells the true story of “Irish” Micky Ward (Wahlberg), a professional boxer from Lowell, Massachusetts. Micky trains with his older brother, Dickie Ward (Bale), a former professional boxer famous for knocking down Sugar Ray Leonard. Dickie is addicted to crack and his family is in denial, including his mother (Leo), who is Micky’s manager but absolutely adores Dickie. When the movie opens, we are introduced to the brothers and learn that HBO is making a documentary about Dickie, which he believes is because of his boxing career but it is really because of his addiction. Micky has had several losses in a row when he meets Charlene, a bartender that he falls in love with. Micky has some opportunities to advance his career but instead chooses to stay with his family, who may not have his best interests in mind. Dickie’s addiction begins to cause problems when he starts missing practice and even some fights because of his habit, while their mother continues to book Micky for fights he can’t win.
Eventually, Dickie is arrested and sent to prison. Micky is forced to take matters into his own hands and starts training on his own. As Charlene and Micky become closer, he becomes more distant with his family and without the distractions is able to start winning. Once the HBO special comes out and Dickey sees it from jail, he realizes what he has wasted and his opportunity for redemption with Micky. When Micky gets an HBO fight on his own, he goes to Dickie to tell him he no longer needs him, but once he’s in the ring he realizes that he can’t win with out him. Once Dickie is released from prison he is clean and ready to help Micky win a championship but Charlene’s not sure if Micky can trust him. Micky soon comes to understand that he needs everyone, from his brother and mother, to Charlene, in his corner if he wants to win. Now Charlene and Dickie must put their differences aside and work together in order to give Micky the support he needs to fight for the championship title and shock the world.
Of course this is a boxing movie but what is amazing is there really is no boxing in the film until the very end. But the story of this family, and what they are going through is so interesting you don’t even notice. Another aspect of the film I loved was Micky’s half-dozen, or so, sisters who add a certain amount of needed comedy. Director David O. Russell tames down the over-the-top insanity of his last film “I Heart Huckabees” and delivers a movie that is both moving and entertaining, while stylish and raw. The pacing is excellent and builds towards the magnificent boxing scenes at the film’s end. Russell also captured the look and feel of the Lowell streets in the early ’90s and the inner workings of the smack community. I remember actually watching the HBO special when I was a kid growing up in the Boston area and I was always amazed, and somewhat ironically proud, that a town near where I grew up was known as “The crack capital” of the world. But what the movie does brilliantly is that it shows the struggle that Micky went through to overcome his surroundings and the redemption that Dickie went through out of the love for his brother.
Melissa Leo gives another Oscar worthy performance and absolutely embodies the average Massachusetts mother. Her attitude, demeanor and accent are perfect, and she electrifies every scene she’s in. Amy Adams is also very good in this movie. She and Wahlberg have a believable chemistry together and the actress holds her own in her scenes with Leo. Adams has some very brave moments in the film and is not shy to go for them a hundred percent. You believe that her love is the key to Micky’s winning and that he couldn’t do it without her. Again, Wahlberg has the thankless job of essentially playing the straight man to Bale but does it perfectly. Wahlberg gives a quiet but strong performance and is often vulnerable in just the right places. You get behind his character and want him to win. But of course, it is Bale that steals the show. One of the best actors of his generation, Bale proves it here with an off-the-wall performance that is both extraordinary and breathtaking. He perfectly embodies Dickie Ward and not only captures his manic personality but his boxing style as well. I think there is a lot of stiff competition for Best Supporting Actor this year at the Oscars but you have to think that Bale will be a frontrunner. The movie is kind of like “The Wrestler” and “Rocky” meets “Good Will Hunting” and “Requiem For A Dream.” In the end, The Fighter is as strong a film as you will see this year. It’s moving, entertaining, captivating and will inspire you. It’s one of those movies that you will want to see over and over again. An instant classic!
