by Dogwatcher » Fri May 30, 2014 3:32 pm
I watched The Fighter the other night.
A really, really good boxing film. Right up there with Raging Bull, for mine.
I'm a big fan of boxing movies, especially the grittier ones, because I think it's remarkable what those guys can get in a ring and cop - I don't think I could do it.
Based on the story of Irish American Mickey Ward and his half brother Dicky Ecklund. Mark Wahlberg, playing a childhood hero, has the titular role, while Bale is outstanding as the keyed up ex-pug Ecklund, whose life has been defined by knocking over Sugar Ray Leonard.
Solid acting, Amy Adams is sheer underwear and some incredible fight scenes make this enjoyable to watch - Wahlberg looked like he was copping every single one of those punches (I took them as punishment for his hip hop career).
All good sporting movies are about fairytale ending, to me the fairytale in this movie wasn't about the boxing but the family drama that envelopes the ring action.
4/5
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