The Fighter

THE FIGHTER

Directed by David O. Russell; Written by Scott Silver, Paul Tamesy and Eric Johnson

With Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo and Jack McGee

                                                                

                                                           Brotherly Love?

Chances are that you may not have heard of Micky Ward or his half-brother, Dicky Ecklund, but you probably have seen the film “Rocky,” about an underdog boxer who overcomes impossible odds in the ring. The biopic film ‘The Fighter,’ tells the story of a real life Rocky.

Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and his half-brother brother Dicky (Christian Bale) live in the depressed town of Lowell Mass., a stone’s throw from their controlling mother Alice(Melissa Leo). She lives with her seven grown daughters, who are so dominated by her that they seem to cower en masse whenever she is around.

Dicky is an arrogant has-been boxer whose claim to fame is that years ago he knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard during a match. That made him a local hero, but he is also a short-tempered crack cocaine addict with a long police record. He and Alice have decided that the younger Micky, also once a boxer, should go back into the ring.

Laconic Micky couldn’t be more different than his jittery outspoken brother. He is easy going and satisfied with his job working on a road crew. Domineering Alice and his con artist brother convince him to fight again using Dicky as his trainer. 

Meanwhile Micky has a girlfriend, Charlene (Amy Adams), who sees how his family bosses him around. Charlene stands up for Micky, convincing him to drop Dicky as his trainer. The family hates her.

‘The Fighter’ is an absorbing study of this very dysfunctional family. Mom Alice favors Dicky, in denial of his obvious flaws. Micky’s father, George (Jack McGee), sides with Micky, but is diminished by the overbearing Alice.

The film examines the misplaced loyalty that Micky feels for his older brother. The coarse loud-mouthed sisters mimic everything their mother says. There is constant yelling and screaming in the household. This group is one big train wreck of a clan, and, as with a train wreck, you, the viewer, cannot take your eyes off of this group.

Director David Russell has succeeded in getting sensitive character work from his actors. There are many layers to each personality. He also definitely understands working-class family brawling. The scenes of the noisy, unbalanced family are very real. The boxing segments are sweaty, realistic, visceral and filled with the uncertainty that is part of such matches.

Christian Bale is the acting champ in this film. He is jumpy, nearly twitching at times, exuding the cockiness of someone who has not an iota of self-doubt.

Mark Wahlberg’s character is more bland, soft spoken. He underplays his role, creating a passive character who must live among a rough group of people. Amy Adams is terrific as the hardscrabble woman who will fight for her man, no matter what. And you can’t take your eyes off of the pushy outspoken Melissa Leo as Alice. You wish she would back off.

 ‘The Fighter ‘is a hugely satisfying, energetic story of family complexities. It is also happens to be an entertaining feel-good story about someone who beats the odds. And it really