OSCARWATCH 2011 - The Fighter

This movie tells the true story of two boxin’ brothers in Boston — Dicky and Micky. Dicky is the elder brother (Christian Bale), whose career was most known for the one time he knocked down Sugar Ray during a bout. Now Dicky is “mounting a comeback” (aka being an addict that rarely shows up on time to train with his brother), and Micky is about to go pro as a boxer. The movie itself chronicles Micky’s rise into pro boxing, and the choices he must make along the way, essentially having to choose between his career and his dysfunctional family. The clan is so tight-knit, that Micky doesn’t want to go against his kin even if they end up holding him back.

It’s both interesting and sad to watch Dicky in this film, a man who generally doesn’t seem to grasp the effect that his choices are having on the people around him. He seems to live in his own little world where he is a champion, and his family, especially his mother, lets him get away with it. Christian Bale is brilliant in this role, playing Dicky with the vigor and intensity that only someone of his caliber could pull off. He definitely deserves the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor tomorrow night.

The rest of the cast in the film is also great, rounded out by Mark Wahlberg as Micky, Melissa Leo as the feisty mother of the Ward clan (as well as Micky’s manager), and Amy Adams as Micky’s girlfriend who helps steer him in the right direction although it may cost him the good graces of his family. Another great addition to this cast is the group of women who play the many sisters of Dicky/Micky. We truly are given a picture of this family, as close as they are, and the dysfunction there as well. Definitely a great ensemble of actors in this movie.

Another thing I really liked about this movie was the amount of humor in it. There are a lot of “characters” in the Ward clan, and although there are definitely somber moments throughout the story, it is balanced well with a lot of humorous scenes. This added to the movie a lot for me.

I’m finding it hard to think of anything else to say about this movie. For me, the excellence in this film lies within the acting. As an ensemble and individually, everyone in this movie excelled at bringing the characters to life. One indication of how great the acting was comes during the end credits, when a video of the real life Micky and Dicky is shown. It’s like we are looking at the exact man from the movie we just watched, Bale had his mannerisms down so well it was incredible. Now that’s impressive.

All in all, I thought The Fighter was one of the most enjoyable movies of the year (Marky Mark's bod wasn't too tough to look at either). I don’t think it will be awarded with a Best Picture statue, but it will get something that some people consider even more valuable — 5 stars on the Marci scale. Congratulations, The Fighter.

Rating:

5 out of 5 on the Marci meter