Knockout Performances

Rating: 8/10 (20 December 2010)

There has been a trend this year to show the darker side of nature in movies, both on TV and on the movie screens, and "The Fighter" continues to expose those festering qualities that prevent us from bonding with each other and might end up having some very toxic results. However, "The Fighter" shows an interesting point of view, as it balances the negative with some redemptive moments; some of which shine because of a very outstanding group of actors.
For starters, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams surpass any work they have previously done as the obsessive and supportive female leads in the story. Leo, as the mother who is blind to her own powerful interventions and interferences, almost leading to the destruction of her own children. Adams, is a tower of strength, with a caustic underside. She is a vulnerable woman who has grown tougher because of her own life experiences, and she finally finds someone who understands and needs her. Still, she must now face a group of siblings who might prove to be more than she wants to handle.
In "The Town" we saw how the environment shapes the nature of human beings, and finding success is pretty elusive. In most cases, the results are the reverse and tragic. Mark Whalberg's Mickey has reached that crucial moment in his life, when he must choose to detach himself from a stiffling family environment and pursue his dream, with the proper support. It is time to go for his life's dream, and though it might be a little too late and very difficult because of Dicky's (Bale) constant self-destructive moves and their aftermath, Mickey might never see his dreams come true.
Bale, who has done superlative work in more than a dozen films, from his superb debut in "Empire of The Sun", completely outshines everyone else in the film, and regardless of the barrage of publicity out there, his is a leading man's turn, dark, subversive, suicidal, pathetic, emotional, and an effective and affective portrayal of a man who is about to hit bottom, someone who is now apparently unaware of how much pain his actions can cause. As the older brother who is now addicted to drugs, he can't see the way he is dragging everyone else into his own hell, especially Mickey, a resilient but sweet character who can't break away from this situation.
Eventually, fortunes change, and we see how it is possible to produce change. "The Fighter" never really explodes or overwhelms. In "The Wrestler" pain was intense both visually and emotionally, almost reaching torture levels for its protagonist and the audience. Here, there is a restrained sense of despair and even exhilaration is portrayed in an almost muted way. We want to ride the emotional waves of the main character, and this hardly happens. Unlike "Milk" where there was a documentary feel that make the events appear almost real, there is something amiss here; yet even that sense of detachment can't keep us from admiring the magnificent work done by Leo, Whalberg, Adams, and most impressively Bale, an actor who understands and undergoes the transformations required by the roles he chooses. It is impossible to imagine a darker Batman, a more demented yuppie, or a more traumatized child. In this movie, his physical and emotional transformation will bewitch you and add you to a list of admirers who have followed an artist who keeps delivering knockout performances, a true champion.