Based on true events, The Fighter captures the life of welterweight (more than light, less than middle) boxing competitor 'Irish' Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) as he struggles for the title and to become much more than just a stepping stone for other fighters. The main problem is that he is being held back by his ex fighter turned crack addict brother Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale) and the rest of his over controlling and deranged family. Can these two brothers ever meet on common ground as they fight to attain the one thing neither of them ever had - Pride.
Awe-inspiring does a nice job of summing up this tremendous film. Despite some confusion over the statistics of the world of boxing (you'd have to look up details to follow up properly) the story is emotionally powerful and hits right to the heart of every audience member. Bale's acting alone is oscar quality, but when he is matched by the ludicrous cast members of the Ward family (led by the brilliant Melissa Leo) and played against the innocent character portrayed by Wahlberg, then every second just keeps getting better. The cinematography is stunning, mixing incredible yet traditional cinema and falsified documentary (where the events are real and filmed to look like part of a television broadcast, yet done so with actors re-enacting the scenes) to greater an unforgettable spectacle on screen. Even the fight scenes, though rehearsed to recreated reality, are still jaw breaking dropping. By the final bell, The Fighter is a must see film for anybody who wants to see something Hard hitting, in every sense of the word.
