Two fantastic performances at the heart of a good film.

Rating: 8/10 (27 September 2012)

Art imitates life in more ways than one in 'The Fighter'. As those who have seen it know, it's based on the true story of Boston-born boxers Mickey and Dickie Ward. We even see their real-life counterparts in the film. But it's quite interesting that the two lead actors are quite similar to their boxing equivalents. Bale is accomplished, experienced, the man who has it all. Unlike Dickie, though, Bale hasn't thrown it all away; and if he keeps giving electric performances like this one, he probably won't.
And like Mickey Ward, Wahlberg is a once under-appreciated actor who has slowly started to prove his doubters (including me) wrong. With this, he shows once again that he can be versatile. I don't think he is as good as Bale in this, but that's probably because Bale's character is just so extravagant. Both men, though, are brilliant. And the Oscar nods were greatly deserved.
The film never stops being boring – the two hour run-time flies by. There's ample support from the likes of Melissa Leo and Amy Adams, all playing integral roles in the story. The star of the show is Christian Bale though. He's a far cry from the Bruce Wayne we saw earlier this year; it's a thin and scraggly Bale, getting into the heart of the character as he always does brilliantly.
A great movie.