The Fighter is David O. Russell's attempt at a sports movie, so of course, while I think the boxing sequences are excellent, it's a lot more about the character drama and creating characters and dynamics we haven't really seen before, but that have the undeniable carp of truth. It's a true story too, filmed where it happened, with some of the people who lived it, and with the principals involved and on set as Mark Whalberg and Christian Bale played them. Bale's role as the crack head former boxing star is transformative, but he still doesn't steal every scene, not sharing the stage with the equally outrageous Melissa Leo, or the steely emotion-behind-the-eyes performances of Amy Adams and Wahlberg, the latter an up-and-comer who doubts himself because he's been so mismanaged by his family. By turns funny, touching and exciting, The Fighter also delivers on sports action. Wahlberg is visibly boxing for real and the fights were filmed in a short amount of time by HBO crews skilled in capturing event fights live. It all looks very real, because it nearly is. I'm really discovering O. Russell's stuff in what was for me the blank between Three Kings and American Hustle, and I haven't hit a sour note yet.
I thought it hit every boxing movie cliche, while also hitting every dysfunctional family movie cliche. The boxing match sequences were very pedestrian. It was really saved by the performances of the supporting cast.
Great film, I enjoyed it quite a lot. It wasn't what I was expecting, and I think that's one of the reasons why I liked it so much.
Christian Bale stole the film away with his acting. Truly magnificent actor with a well-deserved Academy win. Melissa Leo also was incredible and another well-deserved Academy win. It was interesting to see Amy Adams in this role and I liked her a lot in it. I'd love to see her do more roles with variety like this one. And as always, Mark Wahlberg gave a solid performance!
As someone mentioned earlier, what sets this boxing film apart from others is the connections the fighter has with everyone around him and his community. The film was just as much about the struggles between family, friends, addiction, and the depiction from the outside looking in. It made the film much more dense and rich than others, in my opinion.
The shots shown with home films added the sense of authenticity and true family ties, rounding together the biographical sense of the film. A nice touch that I would have enjoyed to see more often possibly.
Loved the film, very nicely done with a great cast.
I love movies that are based on true stories, and this is no exception, great story and great job by the actors Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, awesome movie
5/5
While yes, it'd be nice to see something in the boxing genre with a little more originality and variation, especially plot-wise, I don't believe this film was simply "mediocre".
As far as camerawork goes, I thought the switches between Dicky's special in the beginning and the "real life" cameras were done subtly and masterfully. I appreciated just how close the camera was willing to go in some of the earlier fights, a lot more than I find normal boxing scenes willing to do, and the way the last fight was shot in a "you're now watching a boxing match on television" style (only going for shots live boxing matches are capable of, even the high-angle reaction shots of O'Keefe and Charlene) was really pretty brilliant in more ways than I'll go into here. Comparing it to Raging Bull, which is generally regarded as the greatest movie of this subgenre, I thought The Fighter had a plot that was a lot more tight and meaningful, and didn't drag where Raging Bull let itself do in parts.
But obviously what really makes the movie is its characters. They're simple yet complex; they can be intelligent when we've already stereotyped them as ignorant. We can hate and pity them, but in the end it's hard to not empathize and see every character, perhaps with the exception of some of the sisters, for what they are: human. The brothers are actually likable, despite their flaws, and we find ourselves caring about them, which is more than I think can be said for the movie previously mentioned. The screenplay didn't fall for the trap that people are ever straight up "good" or "bad", and I was glad to see many of the characters given a shot at redemption. It also probably doesn't hurt that the acting was top notch.
In the end, call it what you will, enjoy it how you did or didn't enjoy it, but I challenge anyone who would go for the quick write-off of "extremely average" to look at this movie a little more critically, and recognize that there are definitely aspects of this piece of cinema that make it special.
this is nothing special. don't know why its at the top of so many lists. its a touching true story but as a boxing movie i feel warrior was far better. extremely average
Terribly mediocre film and some of the worst ring scenes I've ever seen in a fighting movie. Watch The Fighter after watching Warrior, and you will fall asleep.
"The Fighter". Great,simple and at the same time very deep picture. U gotta believe in each take.
Must be watchen in orig with subs.
Christian Bale is great in this picture. i totaly believe him.
p.s. sorry for mistakes(:
It's hilarious that people are calling this "just another boxing flick." They must not have watched very many boxing movies. Stuff like Rocky and all the others are centered around the main character, that this is HIS fight and it's all about HIM. In this movie, there's so much emphasis put on the supporting cast and their contributions to the main character. This is a film about a community - not a community in the normal sense of the word, but a community in the sense of immediate connections that a person has; i.e., your trainer, your brother, your mother, your girlfriend, your father, your family, your children, and just what they mean to you.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 39
Siskoid
The Fighter is David O. Russell's attempt at a sports movie, so of course, while I think the boxing sequences are excellent, it's a lot more about the character drama and creating characters and dynamics we haven't really seen before, but that have the undeniable carp of truth. It's a true story too, filmed where it happened, with some of the people who lived it, and with the principals involved and on set as Mark Whalberg and Christian Bale played them. Bale's role as the crack head former boxing star is transformative, but he still doesn't steal every scene, not sharing the stage with the equally outrageous Melissa Leo, or the steely emotion-behind-the-eyes performances of Amy Adams and Wahlberg, the latter an up-and-comer who doubts himself because he's been so mismanaged by his family. By turns funny, touching and exciting, The Fighter also delivers on sports action. Wahlberg is visibly boxing for real and the fights were filmed in a short amount of time by HBO crews skilled in capturing event fights live. It all looks very real, because it nearly is. I'm really discovering O. Russell's stuff in what was for me the blank between Three Kings and American Hustle, and I haven't hit a sour note yet.Duke of Omnium
I thought it hit every boxing movie cliche, while also hitting every dysfunctional family movie cliche. The boxing match sequences were very pedestrian. It was really saved by the performances of the supporting cast.elizabethyates
Great film, I enjoyed it quite a lot. It wasn't what I was expecting, and I think that's one of the reasons why I liked it so much.Christian Bale stole the film away with his acting. Truly magnificent actor with a well-deserved Academy win. Melissa Leo also was incredible and another well-deserved Academy win. It was interesting to see Amy Adams in this role and I liked her a lot in it. I'd love to see her do more roles with variety like this one. And as always, Mark Wahlberg gave a solid performance!
As someone mentioned earlier, what sets this boxing film apart from others is the connections the fighter has with everyone around him and his community. The film was just as much about the struggles between family, friends, addiction, and the depiction from the outside looking in. It made the film much more dense and rich than others, in my opinion.
The shots shown with home films added the sense of authenticity and true family ties, rounding together the biographical sense of the film. A nice touch that I would have enjoyed to see more often possibly.
Loved the film, very nicely done with a great cast.
9/10
WilliamBravin
Excellent film. My only complaint is that it didn't last half an hour longer.Earring72
Excellent boxing drama. Great performances allround!Joker of Gotham
I love movies that are based on true stories, and this is no exception, great story and great job by the actors Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, awesome movie5/5
Flicker
While yes, it'd be nice to see something in the boxing genre with a little more originality and variation, especially plot-wise, I don't believe this film was simply "mediocre".As far as camerawork goes, I thought the switches between Dicky's special in the beginning and the "real life" cameras were done subtly and masterfully. I appreciated just how close the camera was willing to go in some of the earlier fights, a lot more than I find normal boxing scenes willing to do, and the way the last fight was shot in a "you're now watching a boxing match on television" style (only going for shots live boxing matches are capable of, even the high-angle reaction shots of O'Keefe and Charlene) was really pretty brilliant in more ways than I'll go into here. Comparing it to Raging Bull, which is generally regarded as the greatest movie of this subgenre, I thought The Fighter had a plot that was a lot more tight and meaningful, and didn't drag where Raging Bull let itself do in parts.
But obviously what really makes the movie is its characters. They're simple yet complex; they can be intelligent when we've already stereotyped them as ignorant. We can hate and pity them, but in the end it's hard to not empathize and see every character, perhaps with the exception of some of the sisters, for what they are: human. The brothers are actually likable, despite their flaws, and we find ourselves caring about them, which is more than I think can be said for the movie previously mentioned. The screenplay didn't fall for the trap that people are ever straight up "good" or "bad", and I was glad to see many of the characters given a shot at redemption. It also probably doesn't hurt that the acting was top notch.
In the end, call it what you will, enjoy it how you did or didn't enjoy it, but I challenge anyone who would go for the quick write-off of "extremely average" to look at this movie a little more critically, and recognize that there are definitely aspects of this piece of cinema that make it special.
aniforprez
this is nothing special. don't know why its at the top of so many lists. its a touching true story but as a boxing movie i feel warrior was far better. extremely averageSkyscore
http://www.afisha.ru/movie/198021/review/361760/devilsadvocado
Terribly mediocre film and some of the worst ring scenes I've ever seen in a fighting movie. Watch The Fighter after watching Warrior, and you will fall asleep.FameAsser
Absolutely cracking portrayal of a real-life story. Christian Bale is perfect, Mark Whalberg is spot on too! Well worth watching!xObb1t
"The Fighter". Great,simple and at the same time very deep picture. U gotta believe in each take.Must be watchen in orig with subs.
Christian Bale is great in this picture. i totaly believe him.
p.s. sorry for mistakes(:
TechnoFAN
Great movie ! 10/10san tonio
marky mark couldn't ruin this one.CDF
It's hilarious that people are calling this "just another boxing flick." They must not have watched very many boxing movies. Stuff like Rocky and all the others are centered around the main character, that this is HIS fight and it's all about HIM. In this movie, there's so much emphasis put on the supporting cast and their contributions to the main character. This is a film about a community - not a community in the normal sense of the word, but a community in the sense of immediate connections that a person has; i.e., your trainer, your brother, your mother, your girlfriend, your father, your family, your children, and just what they mean to you.Showing items 1 – 15 of 39