Screen Spotlight

Home / Movie Categories / Drama / The Fighter Starring Marc Wahlberg

Browse by Category

Hot New Movies

Box Office Numbers

$	55.6M	Marvel's The Avengers
$	25.5M	Battleship
$	17.4M	The Dictator
$	12.5M	Dark Shadows
$	10.5M	What to Expect When You're Expecting
As of May 21, 2012

Hollywood Gossip, Tidbits, and News

An office worker has been fired for her whistle, distracting nice boobs, figure and look at that...Maria Menounos gained 6 pounds on Dancing with the Has Beens. Kristen Stewart is number 15 on Maxim's 100 Hot List. I wonder how her acting ranks on the S*it List? These days Hugh Hefner spends more time in the kitchen than in the bedroom. John Mayer regrets dissing Jessica Simpson and Jen Aniston in interviews. We just regret John Mayer. Is Bar Rafaeli the hottest woman in the world? Dude, your girlfriend is the hottest woman in the world and don't you ever forget it! Justin Bieber is dating high school students? Man guys at that age are so impressionable. Kate Gosselin says she and Jon have made peace. Awww, that's special. Once their fame ran out they stopped cheating. That's really sweet. Why does Kelly Clarkson lose weight when she's only going to put it back on? Heidi Klum felt more special as a blond. Ah, the world's most profound questions answered as only a super model can.

A man has broken the world record for fist pumping by pumping for 17 hours. My god what an achievement, but we are overlooking how raw his penis must be. The President of Yahoo has been forced to resign because he made an inflated claim on his resume. Meanwhile, in other news, Barak Obama ate dog. Robert Pattinson is 27 going on 17, good for you RSchmuck, I mean RPutz. Are Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer an item again? Is Jessica Simpson's body still a wonderland? Yes, it's just we are wondering why her territory doubled in size. Is Jay-Z acting like a wild bachelor on the prowl? With a name like Jay-Z I don't think any of us really care. Drake is romancing two cougars? Man, dude's a zookeeper. Does Casper Smart enjoy his five minutes of fame? Is that all he lasts for? Lightweight. Rihanna was recently hospitalized for too much partying. It's ok though, let's keep the focus on Lindsay Lohan, she's white after all. Christina Aguilera is quitting The Voice. John Travolta is not gay, he just like's dudes.

Mariah and Nick renew their vows in Paris? I bet he showed her the Eiffel Tower. Truth be told, it might have been more like the leaning tower of Pisa. Gwyneth Paltrow has post partum depression. Me too, but it has been quite a while since I was in the womb. Kim K and Lindsay Lohan will attend the White House Correspondent's Dinner. I guess they wanted to see who has the best lines, and I'm not talking about comedy. Jessica Simpson has a baby shower? What is it like 2 feet tall and a tiny water head? Weirdo. Ellen DeGeneres is a Vegan? I thought she ate meat every night! Jenny McCarthy loves Botox. She loves silicon too. Richard Simmons has flammable shorts. Molly Ringwald drinks Kristen Stewart's blood. But alas it's not that time of the month yet. Want to see Taylor Lautner pics? Then go see Breaking Dawn Part 2. Lisa Rinna does advertisements for adult diapers. That's a coincidence because the first time I saw her naked I shit my pants!

Katy Perry dyes her hair purple. That's quite a change from the pink it was last week. Kelsey Grammar has proven you are never too old to get a tattoo or a Viagra prescription. Nicole Kidman does not mind being naked. Trust me when I tell you we don't mind either. Ashton Kutcher is having "intercourse" with Mila Kunis. One more time for those of you from Port Saint Lucie Florida, that's "intercourse". Who's is bigger Angelina's or Jennifer's? What are we talking about? Just ask Brad Pitt, he'll tell you! Seal has a new girlfriend and her name is whatshernameIdon'tcare. Will Pippa Middleton face arrest? Will switching to Progressive really give you better discounts? Taylor Armstrong is "so not ready to date yet". Wait, I don't speak moron, does that mean she wants to date or not? Bow Wow is no longer a wanted man but that doesn't answer the question who let the dogs out?

J-Lo bought Casper Smart a truck for his birthday. Hey, we already know where he likes to park it! Lamar Odom you are fired! Thanks for playing, next time leave the 500lb gorilla at home. Yeah, we are talking to you Kardashian. NBC's Rock Center has coverage more lopsided than Brian Williams' face. Miley Cyrus is not anorexic, she just eats lots of laxatives, get it? LOL? Ann Hathaway's hair is so short she looks like Jerry Seinfeld and there is nothing funny about that. Jennifer Hudson will appear at a murder trial. As a witness or as a defendant? Ah who keeps up with the Kardashians anyway. Khloe Kardashian says Lamar Odom deserved better from the Mavericks. Khloe, try running your fat ass up a basketball court and then you can talk. Is Lindsay Lohan guilty of assault? Only because she attacked my heart. Awwwww. Mila Kunis or Kate Upton? It depends, which one did Justin Timberlake already date? After being arrested for a DUI Amanda Bynes went back to her hotel bar. Maybe it's time she went back to acting because she sure plays a dumbass great in real life.

Hot New Movies

Screen Spotlight Featured Reviews

The Fighter Starring Marc Wahlberg

Written by Jonathan Jacobs

The Fighter is based on the real life story of the indomitable boxer “Irish” Mickey Ward. Director David O. Russell deliberately focuses on the story of Ward’s rise to fame and fortune more so than he does his exploits in the ring. The only component lacking in this picture is cogent in-ring action. While Mark Wahlberg (playing the role of Mickey Ward) may have the physique of a boxer, he has the hand speed and punching power of an amateur at a local gymnasium. Thankfully, the screenwriters and the director have carefully crafted a fascinating rags to riches story (an athletics version of the classic American comeuppance novel Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger). However, what will really sell tickets to The Fighter is the intriguing performance of Christian Bale (starring as Mickey’s brother Dicky). There is nothing poetic about the relationship between Mickey and Dicky as their lives are headed in divergent directions.

Years ago Dicky rose to fame when he scored a lucky knock down against “Sugar” Ray Leonard. A relatively unknown fighter knocking down a future hall of famer appeared to be a colossal development. Dicky had an opportunity to seize that moment and rise to prominence in the boxing world. Unfortunately, he became filled with hubris and began declining and resting on that one defining moment in his career and life. When we are introduced to Dicky, he is drugged out, minced, lanky and irresponsible. He has two missions in life. The first is to make an improbable comeback despite being physically deteriorated at forty years of age. His second goal is to train his brother in order to help him become a champion.

Throughout the majority of the film Mickey and Dicky are at loggerheads. Dicky often appears late for their training sessions and he seems disconnected when he selfishly matches his brother against heavier and far more powerful boxers. His casual attitude costs everyone as Mickey is soundly bruised and battered by a fighter that is 18 pounds heavier. This causes him to question his brother’s intentions. After meeting his future wife Charlene (Amy Adams), he is convinced he must train year round for money and disassociate himself from Dicky. Unfortunately, this causes Dicky to take extreme measures to continue their alliance. The police capture him in the process of committing a crime intended to raise money for his brother’s training. When Mickey comes to his rescue his hand is smashed by an officer cavalierly hitting him with a night stick. All hell breaks loose.

Dicky is incarcerated and looks pathetic and beaten. While he is in the joint, Mickey begins fighting weight appropriate opponents. Ultimately, he wins his first nine fights by knockout. By the time Dicky is finally released, his brother has earned a title shot in England. The fight in England places him on the map as a contender to be feared around the world. In his career, Ward held the WBU and IBF Light Welterweight Championships. He boxed the sensational Arturo Gatti three times (Gatti committed suicide in the late 2000s in a tragic twist of fate) and other famous contenders before retiring in 2003.

The Fighter is about Ward’s real life struggle coping with his mother’s (Melissa Leo) favoritism of Dicky and aloofness toward his safety and future as a boxer. Mickey remained with Dicky despite his erratic behavior because his brother demanded he return to boxing despite the damage to his hand. Together they rose to the top of the sport.

I recall watching one of the Gatti-Ward fights on HBO in the early 2000s. They massacred one another and both were sent to the hospital. Ward will forever be remembers as a hard knocks, no quit fighter from Lowell, Massachusetts.

The one grip I have with The Fighter is that it needs more footage from the real fights that occurred. Relying on Marc Wahlberg’s blatantly limited skill set hurts the picture’s credibility. Boxing fans who appreciate in ring, bell-to-bell action will be sorely disappointed with this film. On the other hand, despite looking peculiar and cracked-out, Christian Bale represents the condition of Dicky perfectly. It is clear that he researched heavily for this role. Viewers who love a good story will favor The Fighter because it offers a wonderful tale of a warrior’s rise to the pinnacle of his sport. The Fighter is a great story but a poor excuse for a boxing movie.

Jonathan Jacobs

Member FFCC

www.screenspotlight.com