SWS Movie Review: The Fighter

There is a good deal of Oscar buzz about David Russell's "The Fighter." Never one to miss a movie that might win one of those shiny golden statues, I went to see if the movie lived up to the hype.

It does.

The movie, which is based on a true story, follows Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), a small town boxer with big dreams who's rise to fame tests his loyalties to his crackhead brother (Christian Bale), the rest of his family, and his girlfriend Charlene (Amy Adams).

The film is very straightforward - a welcome respite from films like Inception and Black Swan - and does a good job of drawing the viewer into the lives of the Ward family as it is put under the pressure of Micky's dreams and choices. The washed out color palette and imperfect, but steady hand-camera work authenticates the drama with a gritty realism that serves to make some parts of the film seem like a documentary. This is accentuated by the television style camera work during the boxing matches - it really does feel like you're watching a Saturday night fight on HBO. The music is very sparse, but appropriately selected and placed when it does chime in.

The aspect of The Fighter that stands out the most is the acting. Christian Bale, whom many people remember only as Batman, proves that HE CAN FUCKING ACT. Bale portrays Micky's brother Dicky, a former boxing prodigy who fell from the spotlight into a crack addiction. For the role, Bale once again lost an unhealthy amount of weight, and closely studied the real man whom he was to portray on screen. Jesus Tapdancing Christ did he get it RIGHT. At the end of the movie, during the credits, a small film clip was played showing the real Micky and Dicky ward (who, I might point out, are still very much alive - the events of the movie take place in the last decade or so), and in that moment you come to the realization that Bale's portrayal of Dicky is flawless. Bale not only mastered, but made seem natural every last little detail about Dicky - his accent, his mannerisms, the look in his eyes, and even the way he talks out of the side of his mouth. The accuracy with which he transformed himself into another very real human being is almost unnerving, and certainly demonstrative of how talented an actor he truly is.

Oh yeah, there were other actors too. Mark Wahlberg does a good job at playing Micky, but in all fairness he didn't seem to have much of a character to impersonate (the real Micky shown during the credits seemed a little deadbeat). His character felt real, but at times it still felt like the same old Wahlberg. Amy Adams takes a break from her usual glitz'n'glamour princess romcom roles to take a very real and believable turn as a college dropout-turned-bartender who, unhappy with but unable to alter her standings in life, decides to accept the courting of Micky and to make the best of her life by helping him to realize his dreams of achieving boxing fame.

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Rating System (I thought about creating a new rating system since I'm writing the first movie review, but I'll stick with the tried and true INU):

1 Inu - This Inu was deprived of oxygen in the womb. He has no redeeming characteristics at all, and makes Human Centipede look like Silence of the Lambs. It's unfortunate he was ever brought into this world, and for your sake you should simply ignore him so that he'll eventually die alone, and the people who breed him will stop trying to make a meager paycheck at the box office and go slit their wrists with a bread knife.

2 Inus - While certainly not nearly as bad as his deformed and retarded 1 Inu brother, this Inu is still one of the runts of the litter. Ultimately it is not redeemable, but it may have some qualities that make a few moments enjoyable, or at least tolerable.

3 Inus - This Inu makes par. It certainly doesn't exceed any standards, but it does not fail them either. To the average moviegoer, this Inu will be passable, perhaps even enjoyable most of the time, but in the end it still lacks the character and charisma to make it past the preliminary screenings at the dog show.

4 Inus - This Inu comes from the cream of the crop. It stands out as a truly great Inu, and has far more fans than critics. It may have a few minor flaws, but there is very little tarnish on its shiny coat.

5 Inus - This Inu has Courage Wolf lick his balls clean while eating panda meat off of the Kardashian sisters. This Inu ascends above and beyond all his canine compatriots, and stands out as an undeniable gold standard in the cinema community.

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The Verdict: 4 Inus

Plot: Straightforward, mostly engaging, but at times a little slow.

Acting: Outstanding. Some of the best Karma has seen all year.

Cinematography: Nothing special, but adds realism to the story.

Music: Understandably infrequent, but appropriate when present. Not really noteworthy.

Overall: A very good film - incredible acting, and solid in all other ways. Definitely look out for this one in the Oscar ballots (it earned six Golden Globe nods)

Lastly, I invite second opinions in the comment section.

Wut wut!