review

Rating: 9/10 (3 January 2011)

I am not a film critic or even a film buff for I watch movies for a hobby. I am just a layman really when it comes to the critiques of films. But Christian Bales portrayal as a crack addicted brother of a boxer is simply outstanding.In my view there are good actors and there are great actors and there are believable actors. Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis are believable actors just for entertainment and that's OK. Robert Deniro,Harvey keitel and Al Pacino are good actors,actors with presence,intensity and craft. But really they only ever play one character in any film themselves but they act impeccably. Then there are the great actors who play character parts that you are totally absorbed into, such as with Marlon Brando Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, the Godfather. Dustin Hoffman, Midnight Cowboy, Tootsie and Rain man. Richard Burton, Marc Antony in Cleopatra, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Becket.Then along comes Christian Bale, his batman was good his Terminator Salvation watchable, but his acting in this film is incredible. Will he win the best supporting actor Oscar or the best actor for I couldn't work it out for there was only one great actor in this film and it was him. If he doesn't win an Oscar for his consummate skill then there is no justice in this world or the other actors acting will be phenomenal and it will have to be that to surpass this effort.
I have to say the woman who is the mother plays the role brilliantly and so does mickeys girlfriend at times.The film encapsulates a working class area with it's depressing nuances and sometimes unnecessary brutality and vulgarity of life intricately. Mickey is the key to some excitement outside this insular existence and some hope in an otherwise mundane life that is going nowhere a story that pulls no punches(forgive the pun). Treat yourself in a world where there are so many incredibly bad films, this one is a gem one that comes along once in every ten years or so.