More a collection of fine individual efforts than a spellbinding biopic.

Rating: 6/10 (18 January 2011)

It's difficult to decide how good The Fighter really is. On one hand you have impressive acting by the stars – the leading male duo along with Leo and Adams in support – and a worthy rags-to-riches tale with a rousing sport at the centre of it. The direction of David O. Russell is slightly quirky but commendable whilst the score is suitably strong. The boxing scenes don't pack the same punch as say Raging Bull or Hurricane, however they're hard-hitting enough to excite and the cheesy training montages are thankfully kept to a minimum. All boxes appear to be checked, so what's my issue? Well, it lacks power.
It's clear from the history of boxing movies that this is meant to be stirring. Have you ever seen a boxing flick that was anything other than a drama? I can't recall one. Perhaps this is the issue. The cast and crew strive to earn the film the gravitas it so clearly wants to attain, though somewhere along the way they forget that a bit of light-heartedness is essential to achieving this. Instead, the level of seriousness pitched throughout weighs the picture down to a point that I felt like it was more of a chore to journey with Mickey to his inevitable greatness, rather than a heartfelt passion.
As standalone elements, the performances are undeniably solid. Whalberg has needed a career boost for a few years and this, along with his jocular turn in The Other Guys, has put him back on the right path. He embodies the mentality of a down-and-out pugilist with a natural likeness, and his days as a male model clearly helped in ensuring his physicality was spot on. As the unreliable and seriously troubled Dickie Eklund – Mickey's older step-brother and long time idol – Bale will no doubt gain the majority of the critical acclaim, what with his weight-drop, hair-thinning and drug-addled portrayal, but ironically it is his character that is lacking in interest the most.
More a collection of fine individual efforts than the spellbinding biopic it should've been, although it's great to see Whalberg hitting his stride again.
3 out of 5 (1 - Rubbish, 2 - Fine, 3 - Good, 4 - Great, 5 - Brilliant)