Movie Review: "The Fighter"

The Fighter

Directed by: David O. Russell
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo
Rated: R for language throughout, drug content, some violence and sexuality.
Originally published on the website Cinexcellence

David O. Russell’s new boxing film The Fighter opens with the character of Dicky Ecklund (Christian Bale), a shrunken, twitchy boxer who seems to talk excessively about his past accomplishments and preeminent return to greatness. He’s the pride of his hometown, and they all seem to show up whenever Dicky is out and about. Dicky’s mother (Melissa Leo), who also acts as his manager, has nothing but praise for her son, and HBO has chosen to document his remarkable comeback. Dicky is even training his younger brother, Micky (Mark Wahlberg) to follow in his footsteps as a boxer. The story seems to be set around an interesting character that would follow the typical boxing plot line, charting Dicky’s comeback and ending it with a climactic championship fight. But that’s where The Fighter breaks ranks from its genre.

The film is hardly about boxing, and it sure isn’t about Dicky. He’s plagued by abusive drug use, and is often too high to train Micky properly or form any chance at a comeback. His mother is too selfish and proud to realize Dicky’s problems, her apathy toward Micky’s career, and her unfounded disapproval of Micky’s equally brash girlfriend (Amy Adams). Even the HBO crew isn’t exactly what they seem; they’re certainly not interested in Dicky’s comeback. The beautiful backdrop suddenly becomes a harsh and unkind reality. Yet, in that setting, we find solace in the story’s real hero, Dicky’s younger brother, Micky Ward. In a film where everyone is vocal and brash, Walhberg’s Micky is a relief; he’s tough as nails, yet a shy and quiet person. He’s a talented fighter, yet has a history of being a disappointment. He will fight any man, yet is intimidated by his family. The contrast is not only interesting, it’s quite endearing; we love Micky for it. We pull for him to win his fights. We cheer for him to stand up to his family. And, while Micky learns how to take a stand and fight against the life problems he is facing, he becomes the catalyst of redemption for his family, pushing them to look beyond themselves and fight against their own issues. The title is not referencing his boxing, it’s referencing his life.

The movie, which is based on a true story, has been a project Mark Wahlberg has been personally pushing for years. As a friend of the real Micky Ward, he was the one who got the story rolling, and even got David O. Russell involved. Wahlberg even said he’s been preparing for the role for four years. Most would find this surprising; since Micky is so low-key, many will forget Wahlberg’s performance all together. After all, The Fighter is a solid movie under David O. Russell’s direction, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo are contending against each other in the best supporting actress category, and Christian Bale may wind up with an Oscar thanks to his incredible performance as the strung-out Dicky Ecklund. However, in the end, it’s Wahlberg’s quiet and likeable Micky that connects with the audience, and ultimately makes The Fighter one of the biggest successes of the year.