The Fighter

THE FIGHTER (2010)

directed by David O. Russell

[filmography: I Heart Huckabees (2004), Three Kings (1999), and Flirting with Disaster (1996)] 

written by Scott Silver [8 Mile (2002), and The Mod Squad (1999)], Paul Tamasy [creator of Santa Buddies and Air Bud], and Eric Johnson [screenwriting debut]

starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adam [Julie and Julia (2009), Doubt (2008), Enchanted (2007), Junebug (2005), and Catch Me If You Can (2002)], Jack McGee, and Melissa Leo [Frozen River (2008)]

   

ENJOYMENT: ***** (out of 5)

"Loved it"

    The Fighter is currently my second favorite film of 2010, after Rabbit Hole, and I really can't recommend it enough to people.  This film is great because, unlike Rabbit Hole, I believe The Fighter has a much larger audience.  And I love when great, great, great movies are made for large audiences. It doesn't mean that everyone will see it, but I believe most people who do see it will at least appreciate the story and be entertained and wowed throughout.  Not to say I didn't have some mixed feelings about it though--not all of it was easy to watch.  In fact, there was a time during the film where I decided I didn't like it, but that slowly faded and the last hour or so flew by without another thought like that. 

   This film had so many qualities that were great and have made it memorable, but the number one thing is that it defied its genre.  We've all seen about dozen boxing films, even though I personally have never seen a real-life boxing match.  Some of us may even feel that boxing films are over, and you may have secretly vowed never to see another one again (though there are a bunch of great ones).  But The Fighter is different.  It's a lot more closely related to Raging Bull than Rocky or Million Dollar Baby, as it's extremely unsmiling at parts, and focuses more on the man outside of the ring.  But The Fighter is even more than just about the man, it's about the family and girl who are part of the man.  In fact, in the early scenes of the film it's hard to tell that Mark Wahlberg's character is the main character.  He's never alone and barely does the talking.  But this is all about the set up.  As the film goes on, there is a lot of character development: you get to know all the characters, up close and personal.  The great big scene at the end is my favorite of the year, and one of the best scenes like it that have ever been made.  I can say so much about this movie, how it touched me emotionally, how it entertained me, inspired me, and made me sad. I have quite an emotional attachment after going through so much will all of those characters.

   Director, David O. Russell, really understood his characters and the mission of the film, and didn't relent getting the best performances out of his actors. Russell definitely solidified his career and will get a nomination this year.  Even though he yells and throws things at his actors (at least he did on I Heart Huckabees (2004), he is noticeably amazing behind the camera--not everyone could make this film as great as it is.  It has tons of style and heart, and nothing else comes too close to touching it in 2010 in that department.  Christian Bale will win Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars this year--for sure, for sure.  He lost all his muscle and tons of weight for this role--like he did for The Machinist (2004), but not quite as drastic--after being The Dark Knight, with another Batman on the way.  However, it wasn't just a physical transformations for Bale; I know people who saw this film and honestly didn't know it was Christian Bale--he became engulfed in his character.  Amy Adams and Melissa Leo are also at the their absolute bests in this film.  This is saying a lot for Adams, as she is one of my favorite actresses alive, and really showed a different side of her acting range as the hard, short-tempered bartender that she was. The Fighter is a must see this year, and I assure you will see a ton of nominations and wins for it at this year's Oscars.

 AWARD PREDICTIONS:  The film will get nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Editing at the Academy Awards.  Christian Bale will win Best Supporting Actor, and I believe Amy Adams will win Best Supporting Actress. Melissa Leo will get nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Probably nothing for Marky Mark, however.  As for the Golden Globes, I don't care.  The Globes nominated Alice in Wonderland and The Tourist for Best Picture; I'm done with them.