The Fighter is Phenomenal

Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams star in this movie about Mickey Ward and his brother, Dickey (the "Pride of Lowell") and which was based upon real life events. Mickey is a talented boxer in his own right - he trains hard and well and diligently, takes good care of himself, has some natural and raw talent and has won his share of fights. But his own talent is eclipsed but that of his brother, Dickey's. Dickey calls himself the "Pride of Lowell," a title that gives one the sense has been thrown at him in order to make fun of him, but which Dickey has reclaimed and attempted to turn to his favor. Dickey fought Sugar Ray Leonard and knocked him down (although some say he tripped). Now Dickey, a struggling drug addict, is training his brother, albeit in an irritatingly unreliable manner due to the drug issue.

What made this movie for me too wasn't only the issues of dealing with sibling rivalry - Mickey feeling inadequate and resentful of his older brother - but also about other familial relationships. Mickey lives in Lowell, MA and often is staying at home with his mother (played by Melissa Leo) and his adult sisters. His mother is an extremely strong and domineering mother - a character that some could describe as emasculating in some sense because she totally runs things and, relative to her current partner, is the one who dictates what happens. When Mickey meets Charlene, played by Amy Adams, a "college girl" that poses a threat to Mickey and the control that the other women in Mickey's life have over him, the tension and fights that occur are palpable and, on at least one occasion, actually physical. Part of it is resentment too and fear because Charlene is seen as insidious - she actively encourages Mickey to break away from his mother and sisters in order to avoid a mismanaged career and that is very threatening to the other women in Mickey's life.

The acting in this movie was absolutely phenomenal. Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale especially seem to channel Dicky and Mickey. It was absolutely amazing to see, particularly when, at the end of the movie, we get to see the actual men that Wahlberg and Bale portray. While there isn't really a physical resemblance necessarily, each man captured the mannerisms of the men that they portrayed down to the most minute of tics. And this is what made the movie worth it, because the rest of the story isn't all that fascinating. It's a typical boxing movie in and of itself but the performances themselves make the movie worthwhile. Definitely one to own.