Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The Fighter

So, I know that I haven't been on my blog for awhile, but that is gunna change now. I feel in the book/movie reviewing mood lately. Recently, I went and saw The Fighter, with Mark Walhberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo. All of those actors blew me away in this movie. I heard rumors that Christian Bale looked different for this movie, but it really doesn't sink in until you see his character, Dicky, first come onto the screen. My friend that I went to see the movie with actually tapped me on the shoulder and asked, "Wait, is that Christian Bale?" He made a complete transformation. I went from seeing him as the sauve, charming superhero in Batman, to the emaciated junkie that is this character. Bale stole the show, from beginning to end.

In the movie, Dicky is lead to believe that HBO is making a documentary about his comeback as a boxer. The truth of the matter is that they are doing their documentary on the effects of drugs. Although the focus of the movie is on Dicky's brother Micky, who is the underdog boxer, the audience is constantly bringing their attention back to Dicky. He has that certain something. Even while he is face to face with rock bottom, you still feel his sincerity. Christian Bale really come out on top with his film, he showed everyone what he was truly capable of.

Another outstanding performance in the film was that of Melissa Leo. She plays the two brothers mother, Alice. Throughout the movie, we see her internal struggle with her maternal instinct to enable her drug abusing son, and her need for fame and wealth. Apparently the critics agree that Melissa Leo did a fantastic performance because I watched the Golden Globes on Sunday and for those of you who didn't watch it, she won the Globe for Best Supporting Actress. In addition, Christian Bale won for Best Supporting Actor. Two choices that I whole-heartedly agree with.