AFI Fest 2010 Review: The Fighter
During AFI Fest last week, Mark Wahlberg spoke before the start of the world premiere of “The Figher” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Walhberg spoke about how much of a passion project this film was for him. The film had gone through a long development phase before finally getting made. At one point, Darren Aronofsky was attached to direct, and Matt Damon and Brad Pitt at one point attached to star alongside Wahlberg. After many false starts, the film has finally been made.
“The Fighter,” directed by David O. Russell, is based on the true story of boxer,”Irish” Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), and his older half-brother Dickie Eklund (Christian Bale). Dickie’s once promising boxing career is over due to the serious crack addiction he has developed. His crack addiction interferes with his training of Micky’s boxing career. As a result, Mickey is forced to decide whether to choose between his family or his boxing career.
First off, Christian Bale is terrific as Dickie Eklund. Bale has always been an actor who fully commits to a role. In this film, he is able to convincingly transform himself into a crack addict by losing weight, thinning his hair, and turning his teeth green. It’s a very showy, charismatic performance, but Bale is able convince the audience that his drug problem, and love for his brother, is genuine. There is one moment in the last scene of the film that blew me away. Bale is talking about his brother and he has to stop before he breaks down and cries. In the hands of another actor that moment might have come across as choreographed and phony. That one genuine little moment, says so much about Dicky’s character.
The other actors in the film are also very good. Mark Wahlberg may be a little too old to play Micky, but he’s the best he has been in a long time. Amy Adams makes you forget about her sweet persona as Wahlberg’s tough, bartender girlfriend. She brings a surprising level of authenticity to that role. I also enjoyed Melissa Leo’s turn as Walhberg and Bale’s mother and manager. She loves her sons, but doesn’t always have their best interest in mind.
The scenes outside the ring were more compelling than the fights in the ring. The family dynamic was compelling and entertaining to watch. It was really fun to watch the large pack of Walhberg’s sisters go at it with Adams. Each boxing scene is properly set up so that we fully understand the stakes they carry. However, I was never fully engaged in these moments and this is probably due to Russell and his cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, decision to shoot the boxing scenes like we are watching them on a television. I respect this creative decision to keep the audience at a distance.
The film doesn’t have the ambition to be anything other than a better than average uplifting sports picture. The picture’s rhythm and use of music leads me to believe that Russell might be channeling Scorsese. The film kind of falls in the middle of Scorsese’s great boxing picture, “Raging Bull,” and “Rocky.” The film played really well with the crowd and Bale’s performance should land him the Oscar for best supporting actor.
3 1/2 stars
