Review: The Fighter

Harsh, but fair.

In that case, it was also very nice to see Wahlberg portray Mickey Ward in The Happening, The Lovely Bones, Planet of the Apes, etc.

Being familiar with the real Micky Ward I have to say that Mark Wahlberg did an unbelievable job portraying him. Ward is very soft spoken and low key and MW really captured that.

Loved this, its been a while since i was so involved i nearly cheered and clapped and whoooped i was so excited during his last fight!

Bale was fantastic, from the first second until the last, and the final shot with the real life dickey and mickey done it for me showing how bale mimiced the real guy perfectly

great film....better than rocky, not as good as raging bull...the end

We loved the film. Thought the acting especially Christian Bale andMelissa Leo was great. Great story. Check out our review at Two Jews On The Fighter We're on Star Pulse and youtube

I just saw Wahlberg in The Happening and thought he'd been terribly miscast... before reading that the role was written for him.

All the evidence you need that M Night has lost it.

Harsh Times was a good 'un with Bale playing a bit of a pycho.

American Psycho..?

See, De Caprio used to have that effect. I couldn't get past his pudgy babyface and dressing in his dad's clothes for a school play.
But Inception, I totally bought into him as Cobb and forgot it was a guy I previously used to react against. No idea why that movie or that character, just by the end I was rooting for Cobb and not thinking "You look like a pubescent Bobblehead".

Maybe one day I'll see Bale in a role and get past my "Oh look, it's Christiant Bale being skinny"

I know, but something about him just blocks appreciation. Maybe I haven't seen a film that connected enough to make me like him. Oh he's good in the Batman films, but then those films are all about the villains. Anybody can wear a cowl and growl.

The Machinist was ok but I spent the entire time thinking"Wow Bale looks ill" instead of the character.
Public Enemies I liked except for Bale.
*shrugs*
I don't dislike him like I do, say, Russell Brand. I just spend any time he's onscreen thinking "Look, there's Christian Bale" instead of investing in the character.

Wahlberg can fuck off though, racist homophobe

Yes, this might as well have been called The Fight Whisperer.

Bale is great. No growly Bat gravitas or Terminator shouty mentals here. Just incredible devotion to the part. His first scene, in front of camera, is mesmerising. He just disappears.

Does Wahlberg do his quiet voice = sincerity thing?
Boogie Nights was fantastic, but that may have been Anderon's sole doing.
Everything else I've seen Wahlberg in has been mediocre, it's just his pug face and *quiet means I'm acting* voice that irritates.
Bale...meh.

I enjoyed all the stuff outside of the ring, rest of it was pretty straightforward to me. That basically translates as Bale = awesome, Wahlberg = shrug.

Movie of two halves. The first half, where it becomes apparent there are big problems with the Ward family and huge issues hanging over the brothers, is great. Really thought it could have been a five-star film.

Second half all moves along too quickly, everything comes right in double-time, there's no real conflict and all the major emotional beats are rushed or avoided. Matt's right, I wanted Mickey to punch his mother right in her stupid face. (Great performance from Melissa Leo, though).

Went to see this because I didn't think it would be another boxing movie. Turns out it kind of is. I'd have rather seen the film based solely on Dicky, with Micky as the support.

Though I will say, it was a treat hearing Mark Wahlberg constantly saying "I want Dicky" through the whole film.