Mesmerizing!

Rating: 9/10 (10 January 2013)

The Fighter is one of the best sports movie I have ever seen. It ranks up there right next to Rocky. The thing about this film is that it is just not about boxing because it wouldn't be half as good if it was. This film is essentially a love story and bonding between two brothers. That drama is what made me really like this movie.
This film is based on true events as it tells the story of Micky Ward and Dicky Ecklund. Dicky is a former boxer who is now a crack addict and Micky is his half-brother who aspires to be a boxing world champion. Will Micky let his brother, his new girlfriend, and self-centered family get in his way of reaching that goal?
There were many strong performances in this movie. The most powerful ones were Christian Bale and Melissa Leo. I was shocked to see how much Bale transformed for this movie. He plays Dicky as if he was Dicky in real life. Leo is brilliant as the mother who cares deeply for her sons only if to make a profit for herself. Wahlberg and Adams delivered career-best performances as well.
Overall, The Fighter is a worthy awards competitor. This ranks better than most sports films I have seen. I just loved the scenes when there were family issues. These scenes were powerful and they made me sympathize with the brothers how their lives been changed. I rate this film 9/10.