Friday, March 29

The Fighter (R)

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Professional boxing is in dire straits in America at the moment. The sport’s popularity and public profile have waned significantly in the last decade as it continues to lose fans and pay-per-view dollars to the spectacle of mixed martial arts. Yet the allure of boxing seems to have retained a special place in the American popular consciousness, even while its current crop of stars contains few household names. Boxing films remain popular and commercially successful. David O. Russell’s “The Fighter” is the latest entry in the grand tradition of American boxing cinema.

“The Fighter” chronicles the rise of Lowell, Massachusetts’ “Irish” Micky Ward from a career crossroads to an eventual light welterweight title shot. The film stars Mark Wahlberg as Ward, alongside Christian Bale as Dicky Eklund, Micky’s half-brother and longtime trainer. Amy Adams rounds out the cast as Micky’s girlfriend, Charlene.

The film’s nondescript title is curious, considering that Ward, best known to boxing fans for his trilogy against the late Arturo Gatti, was not a particularly decorated fighter. It’s also somewhat unusual territory for director Russell, whose previous notable efforts include the Gulf War heist film “Three Kings” (1999), which also co-starred Mark Wahlberg, and the 2004 existential comedy “I Heart Huckabees.” The cinematography sparkles, especially the reproduction of interlaced video coupled with authentic HBO commentary from Ward’s fights, underscoring the authenticity of the action. While the film’s plot is little more than a conventional underdog story, an array of uniformly strong performances manages to elevate an otherwise unspectacular script.

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The film opens in the early 1990s, with Ward’s once-promising career derailed by a string of
demoralizing defeats. Micky wants to shake his growing identity as a mere stepping-stone for other rising fighters, but his dysfunctional family life is holding him back.  He is incompetently managed by his mother, Alice, whose working-class pride is capably portrayed by Melissa Leo. Micky’s training is also inconsistent, as he relies on his brother Dicky, who is struggling with an addiction to crack/cocaine. Dicky Eklund was once a professional boxer himself, having become “The Pride of Lowell” for going the distance with Sugar Ray Leonard.  Christian Bale’s performance perfectly captures the squirrely, frenetic Eklund, as he struggles to overcome his demons and assist his brother. Bale also lost a great deal of weight for the role, bringing to mind his dramatic physical transformation from 2004’s “The Machinist.”

Conversely, Mark Wahlberg is as muscular as he has ever appeared on film, having trained for years under the tutelage of top trainer Freddie Roach in anticipation of landing the role. Wahlberg, who had a similar working class Massachusetts upbringing to Ward’s, was a fan and friend of the boxer before the production of the film. His familiarity with Micky’s story and personality lends a great deal of credibility to his performance. Equally impressive is the fact that Wahlberg performed all of his own stunts in presenting Ward’s notorious capacity for taking a beating.

7742710Amy Adams also shines as Charlene, Micky’s girlfriend. In a break from type, Adams plays a tough, loyal young woman who braves the violent opposition of Micky’s mother and seven sisters to help the fighter turn his life around. With Charlene’s support, Micky manages to stand up to his mother and brother and get his career back on track. A string of impressive victories culminates in a shot at the title.

Although “The Fighter” isn’t quite as epic as other underdog boxing films like “Rocky (1976) or “Cinderella Man (2005), and fails to capture the pathos of “The Great White Hope (1970), the cast’s remarkable performances make it easy to recommend.  Wahlberg, Bale, Adams and Leo all garnered Golden Globe nominations for their roles, along with nominations for ‘Best Drama’ and ‘Best Director’ for David O. Russell. “The Fighter is a worthwhile watch for anyone who is a fan of boxing, sports films, underdog stories, or simply fine acting.

– by Demian Morrisroe

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