David O. Russell – Mosher'sUnimaginativelyEntitledBlog

Only time for one film on Friday again. I am so looking forward to a return to university (hopefully) next year when I can start cramming in 7-8 a week again!

The Fighter

“That guy did not just get off the fuckin’ couch. If he did, I’m gonna get a couch like that.”

Plot-in-a-nutshell: The ups and downs of two brothers, both boxers, in smalltown America.

Very short review as I’m short of time.

Fairly run-of-the-mill rags to riches story, though based on true events. One brother (Dicky – Christian Bale) never quite made it in the ring, so he looks to his younger sibling Micky (Mark Wahlberg) to capture that glory for him. With a possessive mother (Melissa Leo) managing him, Micky never quite seems to be getting there.

Events take a turn for the worse for Dicky at around the point where the story is waning. Just as the plot seems to be stuck in the “seen it all before” rut, things do get more interesting. As ever, I’ll avoid spoilers so I won’t say what happens.

The family starts to squabble, Micky looks to other avenues and his career moves in another direction.

The Fighter won’t be remembered for its story, enjoyable though it is. It will be remembered for one of the best casts to come together for a film in some time. Bale and Wahlberg could be brothers in real life, the way they appear on screen. Leo is magnificent as the bitchy mother and their sisters are scary and mad. Amy Adams is a perfect mix of sweet and tough as the love interest, while special credit must go to Micky O’Keefe who plays himself. Not as a minor part, but as a major supporting character.

While this isn’t a great film, it contains so many excellent performances it should be seen to appreciate the acting. Also, ensure you wait a few seconds into the end credits to see a short segment featuring the real-life brothers. From that shot, you can see how well Bates and Wahlberg have captured their subjects.