Great biographical drama about box fighters

Rating: 9/10 (15 October 2012)

I really like Mark Wahlberg as an actor and, even if I suspect he did this film in order to fondle Amy Adams, he did a great movie here. The fighting scenes were not always perfect, but then again, it is not about the fights, it's about the fighters.
The Fighter perfectly depicts the trap in which some people find themselves, quicksand they can't get out of, holding them down with the unwitting help of family and friends. This is a happy story though, not only in script, but also in real life, since this is not only a sports film, but also a biographical film, based on true events. At two hours in length, it has about 5 minutes of actual fighting, the rest being about the characters.
Mark Wahlberg did a great role, but he was probably overshadowed by Christian Bale, who had the much more difficult role of the older brother. Amy Adams was wonderful, as always; she did have a rather difficult role as well. Kudos to Melissa Leo, an actress I don't know, but who has a lot of acting experience and played the strongest female role in the film and did it well.
Bottom line: on par with Warrior, which was also a 2011 film about fighters coming from broken and low income environments, but with a different feel. Over all, a very impressive and enjoyable film.