CAST: Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo,Robert Wahlberg, Dendrie Taylor, Jack McGee, Jenna Lamia,Salvatore Santone, Chanty Sok; DIRECTOR: David O. Russell; WRITER: Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson; GENRE: Drama; RUNNING TIME: 114 min.
Technical: 3.5
Moral: 3
Rating: For viewers 18 years and above
A true-to-life story of boxer Micky Ward (played by Mark Wahlberg), The Fighter opens with Micky’s younger half-brother, ex-boxer Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale) being filmed by an HBO crew for a story which he boasts to everybody is about his comeback, but which is actually a documentary about drug abuse in America. Dicky’s claim to fame is his having knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard in a fight ten years ago, but since then he has been addicted to cocaine and to training Micky who has in turn their fork-tongued mother Alice (Melissa Leo) as manager. Micky’s eye is caught by a smart barmaid, college dropout Charlene (Amy Adams); they set a dinner date, and disappear for three weeks. Micky returns home with Charlene in tow. Meanwhile Charlene has convinced Micky he’d be better off with a trainer and manager who will really look after him, unlike his predatory blood relatives Dicky and Alice who make him fight for the money. Defying his opportunistic family’s wishes Micky goes into intensive training and metamorphoses into a true fighter, starts winning and gaining self-confidence.
The realities of family life are vividly portrayed in The Fighter, thanks to solid performances from the lead actors. It is reported that Wahlberg and Bale, in particular, took the trouble to observe and “internalize” Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund for a more sterling portrayal of their characters. Bale went so far as losing weight to the point of looking emaciated, shaving some hair to make for a receding hairline, and perfecting his imitation of Eklund’s gait—all that so that none of Christian Bale is left on the screen.
On the other hand, Wahlberg—who admits he is a great fan of the Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao—wanted his performance “to have the caliber of Manny Pacquiao”, and so, following his idol during the latter’s training sessions at the Wild Card Gym, underwent training himself with the champion’s trainer Freddie Roach.
Fans will most likely compare the two lead actors’ performances and root for their respective idols, but it must be pointed out that they are portraying extremely contrasting personalities: Dicky is the swaggering junkie high on dope and his delusions of grandeur; Micky Ward is the upright but timorous guy who prefers to stay in the background. Micky is a man of few words; Dicky is vociferous. Micky lacks self-confidence; Dicky has an excess of it.
Melissa Leo paints Alice, the hateful mother whose domineering stance can castrate a husband, terrify her sons, and mute seven squabbling daughters. Not to be outshone in this den of cuss word spewing brood is Adams who departs from her sweet lighthearted roles (Enchanted, Night at the Museum) to play a relatively well-mannered girl until provoked—then she out-swears everybody else.
The Fighter presents a finely chiseled story that need not depend on surprises or clever dialogue to make its point. That it is a true story makes the viewer’s interest in it more than just passing. The daily situations that spin about the world of one big family in one small town may mirror the dramas going on in families anywhere in the world. The hub of the mayhem is Micky, and everyone wants a piece of him. In this boxer’s story, the fiercer fights take place outside of the ring. Look at the family dynamics and see your own in them: at times while we profess love for our family members, we do not always act in their best interest. We use them for our selfish ends, compete against them, knock them down when they don’t do our bidding; parents play favorites, children take advantage of parents’ weaknesses, etc.
While the transformation of the characters—notably of Micky who is now empowered to stand on his own and gain liberation from his delusional family—offers a justifiable denouement, CINEMA recommends The Fighter only to older teens and up due to strong language, imitative behavior and premarital sex scenes.—By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS
