Neal Vitale Reviews: The Fighter
January 03, 2011
4 stars out of 5
Director David O. Russell (I Heart Huckabees, Three Kings) has produced a raw, gritty portrayal of working class life (in this case, in Lowell, MA) and the struggles of two brothers to escape and cope. The Fighter is based on the life of real-life boxer "Irish" Micky Ward, and the storyline is a familiar one - overcoming obstacles (family, circumstances, drugs, malfeasance, etc.) on the way to pugilistic success (think Rocky). But The Fighter - like many of this season's films - is more about the acting than the screenplay. Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, Rescue Dawn, The Machinist) gives a brilliant, Oscar-contending performance as Micky's crack-addled brother. Melissa Leo (Frozen River) and the versatile Amy Adams (Doubt, Julie & Julia) are strong as Micky's mom and future wife, respectively, and the scary hair, clothes, and faces of Micky's several sisters deserve a shout-out of their own.