The Fighter

The strongest response that The Fighter managed to get out of me was curiosity at whether Bale will get the Oscar for his secondary role as the skinny, drug-addicted brother/coach. I hope he does, because, although the film as a whole felt like classic award bait, Bale’s performance is the only thing that stands out among all the cynicism and it impressed me (something the cynicism from recent years, like Invictus or Milk, didn’t manage). Otherwise, it’s an ordinary story about how an unremarkable “loser” goes all the way to the top, though I didn’t get the feeling that Micky Ward made any extraordinary effort for that. The Fighter is not a bad film, but my sympathies lie elsewhere. 6/10 (11/01/2011)

Already in the opening credits, it occurred to me that I had feared Fighter unnecessarily. And in the final credits, there was nothing ordinary or transparent about it at all. The cast surprises with their escalating performances (not surprisingly, the beautiful Amy Adams dominates), the TV-style fights in the ring draw you in and at the same time provide the necessary viewer's perspective, and in the end, even the perpetually screaming, "half-burdened" line with the successful family gains deeper meaning and stops being a distraction. This boxing story simply works from the first to the last minute. Some mistakes don't have to be repeated. (25/02/2011)

A family drama (in the sense of a “drama about a family” rather than a “drama for the whole family”) that is pulled out of mediocrity only by the excellent Christian Bale (in a role similar to the one he played in Harsh Times). Fighter is a psychologically believable and, in terms of acting, focused film that doesn’t bring anything new to the genre of intimate relationship movies and doesn’t offer any moments of a more dramatic nature. Mark Wahlberg’s role suits him due to his real-life background, but the film rather needed a real actor in the mold of Bale for that role. (28/11/2011)

I always wonder how it is still possible for another boxing movie to be successful. But when I see it, I realize that it is still possible. Stallone proved it several times with his Rocky, and definitely with his latest contribution. Martin Scorsese did not let himself be embarrassed either, and now he has also made his dream project come true, as did Mark Wahlberg. He deserves all the credit, but just like boxer Micky Ward has problems with the attention mainly focused on his brother Dicky, Mark Wahlberg disappears in the shadow of his colleagues. When Christian Bale won an Oscar for his role as Dicky, it was a bit disappointing for me, because I wished it for Geoffrey Rush for his unbelievable performance in "The King's Speech". But what Christian demonstrates in "The Fighter" is simply incredible. He doesn't act, he is the character. There aren't many actors like him, including Meryl Streep and the aforementioned Geoffrey Rush, but Bale deserves all the credit. He was not afraid of a character who is not a hero, who is negative, who has many character flaws, but he managed them all in such a way that you won't look for Bruce Wayne in him for a moment. Credit where credit is due. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/04/frost-vs-nixon-bos-vs-kung-fu-trocha.html (16/02/2013)

A decent boxing movie starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. I'm actually surprised I didn't get it sooner. It's mostly a drama about two brothers who have family problems and one of them is addicted to crack, but when Wahlberg gets in the ring, it's mostly something to watch. The final fight in particular was excellent. I enjoyed it, but it lacked the emotional impact to make a full count. There have been better pieces, but this one certainly doesn't fall short. 80%. (30/08/2018)