The Fighter Packs a Punch

Rating: 9/10 (21 February 2017)

"Whatcha gonna do without your family?"
Every ambitious young man has felt the constraint. Maybe it is their hometown. Maybe it is their family. Maybe it is their friends.
Irish Micky Ward is no different. In this 2010 modern pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Mark Wahlberg shines as the overshadowed half brother of the Pride of Lowell. Just like in the retelling, most scenes are downright stolen by Dicky played by the incredible Christian Bale.
His complicated character appears first and last in the film. From the opening scenes of Dicky shamelessly showboating to his rocky path toward disregard, Director David O Russell's brilliant juxtaposition packs a blow. Just as quickly as Dicky seems put together, his goofy mannerisms are framed with heartbreaking vice and seemingly unkickable addiction.
It is not just Dicky, but the whole unit around Micky that closes in. Just went it settles in, the film changes on a dime. No longer about Dicky's elusive comeback (seems so simple in retrospect), Russell seamlessly tells the audience the real story underneath.
And like all good stories, a girl changes the calculation. After working up the guts to ask out the local bartender Charlene, it is the girl that clinches the interest. Nursing wounded pride, Charlene seeks out Micky after he apparently stands her up. It is not long before the inescapable hometown sings her less than desirable praises (she's into all girl manage a trois!) As soon as her views deviate from the family, the insults get sharper before the family brands her as unworthy.
Still, Micky wonders what he can possibly do without his family.
Russell in his steady direction could have settled into the story we know. The slow rise to the top with some minor speed bumps but nothing to derail him. That doesn't happen. Instead, even with the predictable path there are moments of surprise and uncertainty. More than anything though, the story continues to be about "Welcome Home" and what exactly that means. It could mean a drug house of dangerous temptations or it can be a career limiting place where demons need to be extinguished.
With careful aplomb the film reaches the third act. The heart usually resides here. With conflicting the woman who makes him strong and the family that keeps up his core, Russell again shows a well known story into a cohesive unit. Micky had to determine what makes him great while still transcending their inherent limitations.
Boxing films for the modern viewer can be very simple. Keep some of the standard fare and clichés that create timelessness. Tell the old story like its fresh. With dynamic performances, spectacular pacing and masterful storytelling, Russell accomplishes this brave new trail.
By its satisfying conclusion you realize there are few instances of the incredible. There's no over the top heroism here. Nor is there any pressure to suspend your belief It is simply a boxer, taking a risk and willingly leaving the comforts of the familiar. With that, you cannot lose.
The Fighter is a knockout (sorry I had to).