Not Just Another Boxing Movie

Rating: 9/10 (28 August 2016)

Not knowing a lot about this movie going in, I expected it to be just another boxing movie that focuses on a complete underdog going from a nobody to a world champion, but I was wrong.
Sure, Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg) acquires underdog status somewhere along the way, particularly in the final few fights, but he is much more than that.
I was more than impressed with the performances. The four main leads really brought some of the best work.
Mark Wahlberg's Mickey Ward was very convincing and I thought his boxing performances were dedicated and sharp. He was more than just a boxer who wanted to be the best. He switched between idealising his brother and realising his flaws while still hoping for redemption.
Christian Bale fully deserved his Oscar for this performance as Dicky Eklund, a local legend and drug addict. The script gives him a lot to work with, but I was more impressed with his depth of facial expression to convey Dicky's emotions. The scene in which Mickey tells him about the deal not to work with him anymore was stellar. I really believed it, down to Bale's performance.
I've always been impressed with Amy Adams in everything she does and her role as bar worker Charlene Fleming was no exception. Charlene is a college dropout (due to partying too hard) who attended on a high jump scholarship. She becomes romantically entangled with Mickey and her fiery personality and grit cause problems with Mickey's family members. Adams plays the part with conviction and precision that comes from a dedicated approach to the role. She really proves herself as one of the greatest in her generation.
Melissa Leo pulls out a wonderful performance as Alice Eklund-Ward, mother to Mickey, Dicky and their sisters. I was impressed with Leo's performance, though less so than her co-stars. In my opinion, the Academy Award belonged to Amy Adams for her performance as Charlene.
The boxing scenes weren't really all that different from other movies, but still exciting and exhilarating. The final fight of the film Ward v Neary left me gripped, unable to look away, my heart pounding as the action took place.
All in all, a wonderful movie that proves David O'Russell's talent in directing award-winning performances with a cast that give everything that have to their characters. So I give it a 9/10