The Fighter - 2010

Not normally a film that I would rush to see - I'm not a boxing fan - is David O. Russell's sleeper hit The Fighter about real-life half brothers Mickey Ward and Dicky Eklund. Christian Bale as crack-head Dicky and Melissa Leo as the mother Alice both give brilliant performances that should be recognized at Oscar time.
The story is about the difficult rise of welterweight fighter Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg) in Lowell, Massachusetts and the dysfunctional family that controls his life, for better and for worse.
The family are hard to bear at times, particularly the big redneck sisters who are about as tough as one will find anywhere. They give loyalty a whole new meaning; at times, I was ashamed of my Irish heritage when I looked at them and detested the way they behaved. But loyalty does win out in this film, and Bale as Dicky does a 360 degree turn around which is riveting and unforgettable. Amy Adams adds terrific support as Wahlberg's girlfriend and Russell's direction is top-notch gritty. Terrific camera work which puts us right on top of the action at every moment.