The Fighter (2010)

Nominee

This is a film that reminds us what acting is really about. It is not just standing on screen reciting lines, it is not just being a pretty face for the media and then putting up half hearted performances. Acting is the ability to step inside another person and find the humanity that connects us all. A good actor not only shows us a person but makes us understand that person, perhaps even develop empathy for them. Having a background in theater has given me very high expectations for the craft, and often it is not met, so when my expectations are surpassed I know respects are due.

The story to begin with is the classic American underdog story. Micky Ward (Wahlberg), is a beaten down boxer from a small impoverished town in Massachusetts, who wants to be loyal to his family but is also burdened by them. Between his brother Dicky's (Bale) addiction to cocaine, and his mother's (Leo) inability to deal with the truth, it is Micky that gets lost, until he meets Charlene (Adams).

These are dynamic people that were carefully and skillfully scripted into a film. It was then in the hands of the actors and they delivered. These characters are all down on their luck and looking for some way to find normalcy in their lives. That was something that was never said or explicitly shown, so where did I obtain that perspective? The actors. Amy Adams and Melissa Leo are incredibly engaging in their parts, both loving but products of their environments these women are fierce because they have to be. Also Christian Bale is an amazing physical actor he dedicates his whole body to a role, and in this film we aren't watching Christian Bale, we are watching Dicky and that is so important. Lastly, Mark Wahlberg, gives us a more subtle side to his craft, he is not the hard hitting Bostonian here, he is a man in conflict. The ensemble in general to, from Dicky's son to the pack of sisters no one misses a beat.

I would be amiss if I ended without a nod to the technical aspects as well. Cinematography was brilliant with their use of commercial cameras versus production models. This separated the real world from inside the ring elegantly. Also sound editing for fight scenes is always important, they brought the chaos more than anything else.

Overall: Unforgettable performances, with sharp technical aspects. This was my second time watching and my opinion remains unchanged. That is a great movie. Happy Watching!