The Fighter
Howard McQuitter II
Movie Corner
HowardMcQuitterii@yahoo.com
The Fighter
Cast: Mark Wahlberg (Mickey Ward), Christian Bale (Dicky Eklund), Melessia Leo (Alice Ward), Amy Adams (Charlene Fleming), Bianca Hunter (Cathy Pork Ecklund), Eric McDarmott (Cindy ”˜Tar”' Ecklund), Jill Ouigg (Donna Eckund Jaynes), Dendrie Taylor (Gail ”˜Red Dog” Ecklund), Kate O.”'Brien (Phyllis Beaver Ecklund), Jena Lamia (Sherri ward), Cadin Dwyer (Kasie ward), Jack McGee (George Ward). (R) Running time: 115 minutes. Director: David O. Russell.
Boxing for the wards is a family affair. Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg) is an upcoming boxer, his older brother Dicky Ecklund (Christian Bale), a former boxer whose current activity is spent often in a crackhouse, and their mother, Alice Ward (Melissa Leo), is the boxing manager. She organizes Mickey”'s fights and Dicky trains him. Dicky brags he”'s once gave Sugar Ray Leonard a few good licks
Mickey”'s caught in a bind of a possessive mother and five sisters and his idol Dicky sent to prison for crack and an assault on police officers. When Mickey”'s love interest Charlene Fleming (Amy Adams) enters his life, his family attempts to sever their relationship. As such, Mickey”'s boxing career seems doomed much like Dicky”'s.
Like other boxing films of the past such as “City of Conquest”(1040),”Requiem for a Heavyweight”(1962),”Fat City”(1972),the theme is boxer from a white working class neighborhood in crisis. “The Fighter”” is adequate with fine performances by Melissa Leo and Cristian Bale in particular.
