The Fighter

Over the years we have had many films about boxers. They are all usually inspiring films about someone coming from lower socioeconomically class rising to become a hero. This film is no different.

It is interesting how most films about boxing and boxers are all essentially the same. Someone struggles though various personal issues to achieve their goal of having a chance to fight someone to win a title. This film is no different. However what does distinguish this film a bit is there is more focus on the personal issues. For a film called 'The Fighter' there is very little fighting. Usually the fighter has to go through several lesser fights to prove himself good enough to fight in the main event. But Micky Ward seems to be having too much going on in his family life to be able to fight. It is amazing the struggles people have to go through when their families mess things up for them. On the one hand they feel an obligation to let their family support them like they have but when that family stuff things up the person has to decide what is best and maybe that is letting their family go. Micky comes from a very dysfunctional family who are very overly protective. Especially his sisters in a hilarious scene when they confront his girlfriend Charlene. This makes the film stand out from other boxing films as it creates a more interesting story outside the ring.

The opening scene of this film perfectly captures the acting dynamic of its leads. The film opens with Micky and his brother Dicky talking to camera for the documentary that is being made about them. Micky just sits there while Dicky moves around all jumpy. This is what it is like for Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. Mark is nice and stoic in his role where as Christian Bale is more showy and flashy. I really admire Mark for letting this happen. More people are going to notice Christian over Mark. Both are excellent in their own way. Amy Adams is also very good in a more trashy role than she is used to. Melissa Leo I think takes the award for trashiness though. She is excellent as Mark and Dicky's very overly protective mother.

I think that while Christian Bale is excellent in this film his Oscar win will be more as a mark of respect than anything. It is still an excellent film that is very different to many of the other boxing films out there.