Harrison Tweed (Top Dawg) Yes it's been done so many times. Yes, Director David O. Russell is a great director, but this type of film is not in his wheelhouse. But it is now! Wow, what a pleasant surprise this film was. The screenplay and direction combined made this film look like it's the first boxing film I've ever seen. But the real hero in this film is the insane chemistry and performances of both Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, the latter just nailing his role. Amy Adams and Melissa Leo were also amazing in their roles. Then finally add to the mix that this is based on a true story - and executed perfectly, you end up with greatness in film- making. A truly enjoyable film and a must see! It's a 9/10 from me!

zkonedog For whatever reason, considering the low real-world current popularity of the sport, boxing fares quite well at the cinema (think Rocky, The Champ, & Million Dollar Baby to name a few). That tradition continues with "The Fighter", a film that delves into so many more themes than just the sweet science.For a basic plot summary, "The Fighter" tells the dual stories of brothers Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and Dickie Ecklund (Christian Bale). Coming from a family of almost total dysfunction and seemingly headed for a life of manual labor, the boxing brothers each face their own inner demons as Mickey takes his "last shot" at pugilistic success.What really makes this a spectacular movie is the incredible complexity of the characters. Nothing is black-and-white about the entire experience, with all the plots/characters providing ample opportunities for shades of grey (the sign of most truly great movies). Nothing is predictable whatsoever, with the character dynamics changing regularly as the situations dictate. From beginning to end, the intense emotional roller-coaster will keep you on the edge of your seat.Of course, what makes those emotions really "pop" are the incredible acting performances. Bale nearly steals the entire show as the enigmatic Dickie, cementing himself as perhaps the greatest pure actor of the present day. Wahlberg also nails the emotionally-drained Ward as he tries to navigate the pathetic petty family drama. Finally, Amy Adams (playing Charlene, Mickey's girlfriend) shows her acting chops as the fulcrum point from which Mickey goes from "hanger- on" to "legitimate contender".The directing is adept as well, considering that no scene or character is wasted. Every single frame and interaction is meaningful in the overall scheme of things.Thus, I consider "The Fighter" to be one of the greatest sports films of all-time. Everything (from acting to plot to direction) is solid and no time is wasted in the hour and fifty minute runtime. I could have watched two MORE hours and not have been bored in the slightest.

sol- On the rise to fame and success, a young boxer must decide whether to continue training with his family or seek professional training and management elsewhere in this sports drama based on true events. Mark Wahlberg is solid as the conflicted boxer in question and Amy Adams does well cast-against-type as his foul-mouthed bartender girlfriend, but is Christian Bale who steals every scene he is in as Wahlberg's older brother. A former boxing legend himself, Bale has delusions of grandeur and believes that the TV crew who have recently arrived to film him are making a documentary about his long awaited comeback when in reality they are making a film about his descent into heroine addiction. The overall film fascinatingly follows this structure too, opening with a lot of focus on Bale, only for Wahlberg to be eventually revealed as the true star (what a great metaphor for Bale's character coming to realise that not everything is about him). Melissa Leo also gets quite a bit of screen time as the brothers' overbearing mother, however, the rest of the family are disappointingly barely fleshed out all, including Jack McGee as Wahlberg's father, who could have been quite interesting given that he actually sides with Adams about his son's career. As for the sisters, they are all interchangeable stereotypes. This is, however, principally a film about the brothers and their every interaction is compelling. The end credits are also worth watching here for appearances by the brothers whose lives the film was based on - Dicky and Micky Ward.

Christopher Hearns Mark Wahlberg plays a role that he has played many times before, so don't watch it for him. Also, the script is rather soft when it comes to his narrative. It's just typical Hollywood fluff and I honestly can't tell the difference between this performance and his performance in The Big Hit.Watch it instead for the performance by Christian Bale and the clever writing that surrounds his character. Some good use of dramatic irony and some really effective use of unreliable narrator. The writing that surrounds many of the other characters is also quite solid.I guess that's the films biggest flaw, the main story line is pedestrian and the acting by the lead similar. Like often happens with based on a true stories, I get the impression that that fact is meant to impress me and make me interested in the main character. What they really needed to do was rely less on that for the main, and more on solid writing.