The Fighter

[Chrisksaint]

Re: The Fighter

Wanted to see this when it came out, but my GF didn't want to go see it at the time and it's becoming too expensive. Gonna have to rent or buy it soon

[BlueNGold]

Re: The Fighter

Just finished watching it about an hour ago. Solid movie. Christian Bale was un-****ing-believable IMO. He stole the movie and was amazing. Like it was mentioned a few posts above, when you see the real Dickie Ecklund at the end it just solidifies it even more how great Bale's performance is. And all around the movie had pretty good performances from everyone.

My only issue was the actual boxing scenes were terrible and considering the movie is called "The Fighter", that takes away alot when the in-ring scenes don't come close to matching the scenes outside of the ring. It also ruined the ending for me because the bad boxing scenes just didn't make me have that much of an emotional attachment when Mickey finally won the belt. It was kinda just like "Oh, he won. Cool....".

As a movie, I thought it was great, but as a sports movie it wasn't good, if that makes sense. I also have to shake my head at SI calling this the Best Sports Movie of the Decade because IMO Friday Night Lights was better.

Anyways, it was a solid movie like I said. I enjoyed it, but I didn't think it was the all-time classic it was hyped to be. I guess it just depends how emotionally invested you get into the movie. Some people are going to absolutely love it, while others like me are just going to like it.

If they do end up making a sequel I'll be looking forward to it because this was sorely lacking the Gatti fights, but I'm not sure what they're going to do with the story outside of the ring since they basically already told it with this one.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: The Fighter

I too just saw this a few days ago and I agree with BnG

Watching the making of the film afterwards actually made me like it more than I initially did. Bale got his character down scary good. I mean it's absurd.

[Krebstar]

Re: The Fighter

I too just saw this a few days ago and I agree with BnG

Watching the making of the film afterwards actually made me like it more than I initially did. Bale got his character down scary good. I mean it's absurd.

It's what he does and is why he's one of the best living actors.

The only reason I went to see it was his performance, and after a few seconds in of him shaking his legs back and forth, I knew seeing him was worth my money. His performances are often just too real to the point of making you feel uncomfortable. Which he again did in The Fighter.

[RockinDaMike]

Re: The Fighter

This movie was more about Dickey Auckland than Micky Ward. Christian Bale was tremendous and for sure deserved that oscar.

I loved the movie but I agree with BlueNGold about the boxing was mediocre. The story focused more on Dickey and the Ward family drama than it did the actual boxing. I liked how everything was HBO themed which was really cool but the action part was eh.

I think Cinderella Man is the perfect boxing movie. The action is the best I've seen for a boxing movie and the story of James Braddock is more appealing to me.

Still this is a must watch just for Bales performance.

[Blzer]

Re: The Fighter

This movie was more about Dickey Auckland than Micky Ward. Christian Bale was tremendous and for sure deserved that oscar.

That's why I wonder where the line is drawn between "supporting actor" and "co-star" or whatever. For instance, Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman were co-stars in Se7en. I just wonder where it is they distinguish the actual difference, because Eklund was definitely not only a huge part of the story, but had plenty, plenty of screen time to almost be considered as a "main actor" in a way.

[RockinDaMike]

Re: The Fighter

That's why I wonder where the line is drawn between "supporting actor" and "co-star" or whatever. For instance, Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman were co-stars in Se7en. I just wonder where it is they distinguish the actual difference, because Eklund was definitely not only a huge part of the story, but had plenty, plenty of screen time to almost be considered as a "main actor" in a way.

yeah seriously, i'm not sure where they were going with the term "The Fighter" if that was really about Ward as a boxer or really about Eklund and what he was going though.

Spoiler

It's funny that he thinks the documentary in the movie was about his comeback, but this actual movie was about Dickey's comeback. From a fighter who knocked out a legend, gets into drugs, does a **** job as a trainer for his brother, goes to jail and comesback as Micky's trainer to win the belt. Ward's problems were always dickey and how is mom poorly managed him, so didn't nearly go through the issues dickey had.

[Blzer]

Re: The Fighter

yeah seriously, i'm not sure where they were going with the term "The Fighter" if that was really about Ward as a boxer or really about Eklund and what he was going though.

Spoiler

It's funny that he thinks the documentary in the movie was about his comeback, but this actual movie was about Dickey's comeback. From a fighter who knocked out a legend, gets into drugs, does a **** job as a trainer for his brother, goes to jail and comesback as Micky's trainer to win the belt. Ward's problems were always dickey and how is mom poorly managed him, so didn't nearly go through the issues dickey had.

Haha that would be funny if this movie was called THE FIGHTER(S).