The Fighter

At least once or twice a year (maybe more depending on how avid of a movie-goer you are), there will be those films that you cannot wait to see. There is an unexplainable excitement; a Christmas morning excitement if you will. These are the movies with the big actors and actresses or with the story that is extremely relatable. In 2010, there have been three films that I have had this feeling for. The first one was in June when ‘Toy Story 3’ graced theatres nationwide. The second was in October when ‘The Social Network’ came out. These first two followed along the lines of the story that meant something to me. But this last one, ‘The Fighter’, peeked my interest just because of all the hype it had received, and it did not disappoint.

Directed by David O. Russell and starring the likes of Mark Wahlberg as Mickey “The Irish” Ward, Christian Bale as Dickey Eklund, and Amy Adams as Charlene, Fighter is not just about boxing. It tackles the issues of loyalty, family, drug addiction, and trust. The story follows Wahlberg’s character through a stretch in his career where Ward, his brother (Eklund) and his mother (played by Melissa Leo) are struggling to get Mickey his break in the boxing world. There are many obstacles that hinder this; whether it be sketchy behavior by crack-addicted Eklund, unfortunate opponents for Ward, or conflict in the family by the entrance of a new girlfriend (Adams), and it’s up to Ward to find out what really matters to him in order for him to make his big break, no matter what happens or who is affected.

I often find myself in danger of over-hyping films that I’m excited to see, but this thankfully lived up to my expectations. The lead acting in this movie is phenomenal. No, phenomenal isn’t good enough. This is Packers-make-the-super-bowl good (I hope I don’t jinx it). Christian Bale delivers the performance of a lifetime, and it will probably pay off come Oscar time. Wahlberg, who trained for this role for four years, shows his dedication to the role by portraying Ward beautifully. Oscar time is the most wonderful time of the year, and this film will definitely be a big player when the awards get handed out.


Rating: 4 out of 4 stars