The Fighter: Film Review
The Fighter, written by Scott Silver, may be your typical "fight movie". This drama is based on a true story of Micky Ward, junior welterweight, and his way from being the underdog to winning the championship match. This film is filled with drama, love and family. David O. Russell (director) portrays the rocky road of two brothers fighting to win the love of each other and the championship title for boxing. Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) is living in his brother's shadows. He wants to become a professional boxer, like his brother once was and train under him, but Dicky (Christian Bale) is struggling with his own issues.
Dicky is known as the town legend and for his infamous win to Sugar Ray. Dicky continually talk about this fight and flashbacks are heavily shown. "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake is played when he is riding through town, but once close-up shots of his face are shown it's evident that something is going on with this town "hero". Shots of Dicky's face, dark eyes and frantic movements portray that he has a drug addiction. Dicky's addiction to crack cocaine pulls him away from his responsibilities. As Micky continues to train, Dicky continues to get high.
Christian Bale, playing a drug addict who is struggling to stay committed to his family but also his addiction, is tremendous throughout the film. One heart felt scene, is when Dicky's addiction gets himself in trouble with the law, and his brother as well. Micky sees Dicky about to get arrested and goes to help him. When Dicky sees Micky getting hit and thrown around byt the police, he gets angry and upset because he can't do anything to help his little brother because he himself is being held down by officers.
Once Dicky is arrested, Mickey and his girlfriend Charlene (Amy Adams), decide that having Dicky train Micky might not be the best idea for his career and decide that Micky will train without his brother. A montage of close-ups of Micky in the ring, and hype rock music is played, makes it clear that Micky is successful enough without his brother, or at least that's what he thought.
When Dicky is released from prison, Micky decides that he wants Dicky to train with him which starts a fight between him and Charlene. Charlene disagrees with Dicky being in the picture and leaves. Wahlberg's character then becomes torn and doesn't know what to do without his brother, family or Charlene around.
One scene that shows a turning point for Bale's character is when Dicky goes back to the crack house where he used to get high. The camera just shows Dicky walking through the neighborhood, close up on his face without knowing where he's going. When he reaches his destination and greets his old friends, the audience is expecting him to join them in getting high especially after the intense scene just before. Dicky hands them a cake, which his mother and sisters got for him as a welcome home present and does not enter. He makes his way over to Charlene's house where he convinces her to put their differences aside and to be there for Micky.
Short scenes of Dicky and Micky training get the audience to realize that the championship fight is coming up. During the fight, Micky doesn't do too well. He loses balance and is receiving more hits than he's giving. But once Dicky gives him a little pep talk, Micky turns around and wins after a long fight.
David O. Russell captures this movie with close-ups on character's faces and warm colors. The lighting in the film was mostly sunlight, and when it wasn't, bright lights where used to give you that feeling as if you were watching the boxing matches on television when they were in the ring. Rock music gave you the feeling as though you were invincible during the fights, but when losing, composed soft music played which made you anticipate what was going to happen next. Flashbacks where made to look grainy but remained in color, and the dialogue was mostly clean expect for arguments. Overall, I personally enjoyed the film. I usually don't enjoy movies that have to do with sports, but this dramatic love story grabbed my attention the whole way through.
Dicky is known as the town legend and for his infamous win to Sugar Ray. Dicky continually talk about this fight and flashbacks are heavily shown. "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake is played when he is riding through town, but once close-up shots of his face are shown it's evident that something is going on with this town "hero". Shots of Dicky's face, dark eyes and frantic movements portray that he has a drug addiction. Dicky's addiction to crack cocaine pulls him away from his responsibilities. As Micky continues to train, Dicky continues to get high.
Christian Bale, playing a drug addict who is struggling to stay committed to his family but also his addiction, is tremendous throughout the film. One heart felt scene, is when Dicky's addiction gets himself in trouble with the law, and his brother as well. Micky sees Dicky about to get arrested and goes to help him. When Dicky sees Micky getting hit and thrown around byt the police, he gets angry and upset because he can't do anything to help his little brother because he himself is being held down by officers.
Once Dicky is arrested, Mickey and his girlfriend Charlene (Amy Adams), decide that having Dicky train Micky might not be the best idea for his career and decide that Micky will train without his brother. A montage of close-ups of Micky in the ring, and hype rock music is played, makes it clear that Micky is successful enough without his brother, or at least that's what he thought.
When Dicky is released from prison, Micky decides that he wants Dicky to train with him which starts a fight between him and Charlene. Charlene disagrees with Dicky being in the picture and leaves. Wahlberg's character then becomes torn and doesn't know what to do without his brother, family or Charlene around.
One scene that shows a turning point for Bale's character is when Dicky goes back to the crack house where he used to get high. The camera just shows Dicky walking through the neighborhood, close up on his face without knowing where he's going. When he reaches his destination and greets his old friends, the audience is expecting him to join them in getting high especially after the intense scene just before. Dicky hands them a cake, which his mother and sisters got for him as a welcome home present and does not enter. He makes his way over to Charlene's house where he convinces her to put their differences aside and to be there for Micky.
Short scenes of Dicky and Micky training get the audience to realize that the championship fight is coming up. During the fight, Micky doesn't do too well. He loses balance and is receiving more hits than he's giving. But once Dicky gives him a little pep talk, Micky turns around and wins after a long fight.
David O. Russell captures this movie with close-ups on character's faces and warm colors. The lighting in the film was mostly sunlight, and when it wasn't, bright lights where used to give you that feeling as if you were watching the boxing matches on television when they were in the ring. Rock music gave you the feeling as though you were invincible during the fights, but when losing, composed soft music played which made you anticipate what was going to happen next. Flashbacks where made to look grainy but remained in color, and the dialogue was mostly clean expect for arguments. Overall, I personally enjoyed the film. I usually don't enjoy movies that have to do with sports, but this dramatic love story grabbed my attention the whole way through.
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