A good sports biopic with great performances

Rating: 7/10 (1 April 2020)

The Fighter is a sports biopic, family drama and underdog story, about the former welterweight champion of the world, "Irish' Micky Ward. And while the film is a contender, the real champion is the performances. Top to bottom, this is a superbly acted motion picture. Mark Wahlberg and Amy Adams are excellent as Ward and his girlfriend Charlene respectively. But it is Christian Bale, playing Dicky Eklund, Ward's crack addicted brother and former great boxer, that steals the show. Bale, being the chameleon that he is, totally immerses himself in the role and gives a funny, heartbreaking and uplifting performance. If you are a boxing fan or just like good old uplifting stories, with talented actors working at peak form, then The Fighter is just the movie for you.