The Fighter
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The Fighter
Director: David O. Russell
Writers: Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo
Dicky: "Micky, he takes a punishment, I don't know why he does it. He likes to get on in the inside, I stay on the outside."
Writers: Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy
Dicky: "Micky, he takes a punishment, I don't know why he does it. He likes to get on in the inside, I stay on the outside."
Boxing has delivered big screen hits since the 80's. Rocky, Raging Bull, The Hurricane, Million Dollar Baby, each one of these films set an uplifting redemptive tone to their respective characters. But where does "The Fighter" stand? Continuing the formula's premise but never being subjugated to it, the film manages to surround the ring with more interesting elements than the actual fight.
Based on a true story, it starts out with the two half-brothers, Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), sitting on a sofa talking to the camera, an immediate emotional bruising occurs after the opening moments when the viewer realizes that Dicky's delusional comeback is in reality his own decline on record, a documentary about crack addiction and fallen heroes.
Micky is managed by his hard-headed mother, Alice (Melissa Leo) and trained by Dicky, a local myth in their depressed hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts, because he once floored the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard. Dicky's broken dreams now find shelter in the comfort of crack while anything he does seem to be overlooked by his mother.
While Micky's family use him as a punch-bag in and out of the ring, he finds a glimpse of hope in a feisty barmaid named Charlene (Amy Adams). Through a string of events, she finally persuades him that he has to stand on his own, away from his domineering, abusive family, in order to have a chance at fulfilling his dream.
Stepping away from mannerism, David O. Russell's documentaristic approach in the first two acts throws non-wearing-glove punches and after a pivotal moment he differentiates the mood. Depicting a dysfunctional family he crafts through antithesis, Micky's avenue to reach his dream juxtaposed to his familys'. He mirrors a documentary to a realistic directional approach reminding us that it is really an actor's film.
All in all, this is Bale's movie, he portrays a colourful and spontaneous Dicky, he uses all his tricks and techniques, Machinist and American Psycho, through a series of moments he masterfully chains a sentimental reaction and comes across as the real person in the documentary his character supposedly stars in. Mesmerizingly, he balances the goofiness and hard boiled attitude, drawing drama one step closer to the viewer without being soapy even if the genre sometimes demands it.
Describing and undermining his performance as another one of his weight-loss/gain heroic stunts would be a misrepresentation at best, he knockouts all the other nominations in the Best Supporting Actor category, heavy weight (Geoffrey Rush) or welterweight (Andrew Garfield).
Wahlberg's quiet realization of Micky Ward is an efficient axis and anchor that the other characters orbit around and it could take many roads leading to any interpretation of his introverted concealment.
Of course, this is the reason for all the Oscar nods, Melissa Leo had her best year in 2010 and could easily be nominated for more than one movie, here she justifies all characters' emotional outbursts using the psychologically upper hand of her maternal role in the movie.
Amy Adams on the other hand is for the first time in her career cast against-type and she delivers by confronting the forceful Leo and Bale's acts, she sparks authenticity and fights for her bittersweet relationship with Micky. She makes most scenes happen by overcoming the subtext of her character's stereotype.
Walhberg's passion project, produced, starred and prepared for it for 4 years, is an intense and passionate story of a man and his family who had just one shot at glory. Familiar and predictable, yes, but who can say that it's not admirable and irresistible. A metaphor, a punch, no defense, head, body, head, you bleed, your legs tremble but don't throw in the towel just yet.
