THE FIGHTER (2010)

Absolutely knock out and one of the best films of this year without a doubt on many fronts and it will give tough fight to some of the year’s best like ‘The Social Network’ and ‘Black Swan’ in upcoming Oscar ring this month. The film is based on true story of working class welterweight boxer Micky Ward and his crack addicted elder brother-trainer Dicky Eklund, who messed up enough with his life and wanted to see his brother fulfill his dream. He’s once promising boxer, now lost his glory with drugs, crime and low life. Instead training his brother, he keeps messing up his and his brother’s lives in one after another screwed up situations. He’s ‘the brother’, he’s ‘the villain’ and he’s ‘the hero’ of Mickey’s life.

Don’t expect just boxing action entertainment here; its intense drama between two brothers and their family than just ring action but I bet you that drama is not boring even for a single second. More than boxing its story about questioning integrity of an average working class united but dysfunctional family and what happens to it where one of the talented but crazy sibling among them keep messing his life and career putting all others into fix. It's family where eldest sibling Dicky lost match to champion Sugar Ray and then lost in the oblivion of drug addiction. His mother and seven ugly and good for nothing sisters living in a pipe dream that one day the younger Micky will bring the day of glory. He's trying too but the situation becoming worse with crazy crack addict brother. Watch the scene where all family members are watching the documentary on TV showing Dick’s ugly personal side under crack addiction which they want to keep hiding from world around. One of the most intimate scene of the film that made you think and yep it has plenty of them. And yeah you’ve to wait for ring excitement till the climax where Micky is struggling against deadly fast jabs of champion Neary until he finish it all with ‘head…body…head’.

The film has some of the interesting facts behind its making. Bale’s role was turned down by Matt Damon and Brad Pitt and it was Aronofsky who’s going to direct this film in the beginning. The script was turned down by director such as Martin Scorsese too. Even the producers were not happy to finance the film on one stage of its making. But in the end, Director David O. Russel brought to screen his finest film till day with brilliant character portrayal. Credit surely goes to the perseverance of method act by lead cast. The result looks crystal clear on screen; Bale reduced terrific weight and done something which we all want to see him from long. Without exaggeration he deserves academy award this year for his knock out ‘head…body…head’ and for bringing one of the love and hate brother on screen which we’ll keep in memory for long time. And let me confess that with this film I will start respecting Mark Wahlberg too as a fine actor. His intense and brilliantly restrained act here made me think that he’s kind of actor wasted from long in either substandard scripts or side roles overshadowed by top stars. The supporting acts of both women, Amy Adams as Mark’s girlfriend and Melissa Leo as dominating manager cum mother are also so convincing in their characters. Leo is fine actress and anybody who needs better proof of it should watch her academy nominated act in ‘Frozen River’. So if you count the performances of almost all lead and supporting actors, this is the best among all I’ve seen this year.

Kudos to David O. Russel for bringing not only his best but also of several others too which we love to watch from long. Just like Natalie Portman, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for Christian Bale too and anyone who sees it will agree with me.

Don’t miss it by any account.

Ratings-9/10