Great performances and many complex themes and characters make it fun, but a simple ending doesn't give true resolution

Rating: 7/10 (19 October 2018)

The Fighter is an extremely fun movie to watch, and brings originality to the well-tread rising boxer story. The cast is phenomenal and I think each brings a lot to their performances. Much has been said about Adams, Bale, and Leo's performances, and for good reason - the way each of them pull Micky and are motivated is central to the movie. However, I think Wahlberg's performance is excellent, and in a family where everyone is selfish and aggressively pursuing self-interest, his conflict-averse and subdued nature allow the other characters to shine through, and Wahlberg shows range with his expressions and reactions. The second act is one of my favorites I've ever seen, and if the first and third had fully realized that promise it would be a 10 star movie. The struggles of drug addiction for Dicky were devastating, and Micky's difficult decisions and how his circle shape those decisions was very well done. Leo's performance as a self-centered mother influencing others so she can be tied to success particularly shined through in the second act. The dichotomy between going down with the ship and trusting "family" no matter what, as Alice and Dicky demanded, juxtaposed with the external perspective of O'Keefe and Charlene in cutting ties with his troubled family, seemed completely intractable. It was set up brilliantly, but as Micky rose as a fighter, the conflict just seemed to melt away, and the ending, while a triumph, didn't have the emotional intensity that the entire second act did, because it fundamentally ignored the various conflicting forces that made the movie successful. All of the performances are excellent, and the development of the character dynamics, family dynamics, and influences for each person were built up well, but the climax puts all that aside for a mediocre career success for Micky. A very well done movie, but the triumphant ending feels hollow and simple considering the conflicts throughout the movie.