The Fighter

JP Liz V1

http://ie.movies.ign.com/articles/114/1148365p1.html

David O. Russell interview

...................IGN: With Melissa Leo and Christian Bale getting Oscar nods, why do you think Mark was overlooked?
David O. Russell: Robert De Niro made it his point to tell me that he thought Mark's performance was one of the strongest of the year that was overlooked, because it was a quiet performance.
You can't have the big performances like Christian Bale's and Melissa Leo's without the solid emotional presence that's real in Mark Wahlberg and Amy Adams' performances.
It's two very different kinds of amazing acting going on in the movie, and one's a little flashier and gets a little more attention, and the other doesn't. I think Mark's not really worried about it, he's just made up for the film and the people of Lowell.
I got a nomination for director, which means the world to me; it's just the most exciting thing for me and my family.
You do the good hard work, and the rest of it is something you shouldn't get too caught up in, but when it happens - boy! I respect it. ..................

kippy

I watched this over the weekend with the wife. Had no idea of the story or the lives upon which it was based.
Thought it was good

up until the very end however when I saw the 1 minute section at the end credits of the real Dickie and Mickie my opinion changed from good to very good.

Bale especially did an excellent job of portraying Dickie - absolutely superb and it was only when you seen the real Dickie that you realised that.

The film itself was pretty run of the mill boxing story but based on real life and all the drama that went with it - nothing too gripping but some seriously good acting.

Would definitely watch it again.


As an aside, I have seen this, 127 hours and the Kings speech in the past few weeks. I was most impressed with the Kings Speech, found it a great film.
The guys up for best actor/best supporting actor roles are well deserved in my opinion.

STIG83

Saw this last night, Christian Bale was brilliant in it, it just goes to show what a good actor he is

senordingdong

STIG83 wrote: »

Saw this last night, Christian Bale was brilliant in it, it just goes to show what a good actor he is

+1, and I didn't care much for any of Bales previous performances.

STIG83

senordingdong wrote: »

+1, and I didn't care much for any of Bales previous performances.

Really? anything i saw him in, i was always impressed

Handsome Bob

senordingdong wrote: »

+1, and I didn't care much for any of Bales previous performances.

STIG83 wrote: »

Really? anything i saw him in, i was always impressed

For the love of jesus don't open this can of worms! :P

ziedth

I finally got around to watching this and as I thought it was excellent. I'm a sucker for boxing films and this didn't disapoint. As that's been said a number of times it's Bales film start to finish, I just can't understand how anyone can have a problem with his work (outside maybe of husky voiced batman).

Fact it was a true story for me prob made it a better film then it was for example how

Dickie turned his life around and how quickly Ward got a title shot

that if it happened in another film I'd be a bit skepitical. I also liked Markie Mark in this, I think he does a job in other films but he does a very good turn in this.

All in all not the best film I have ever seen and not as good as Rocky but It does beat any other boxing film IMHO.

MagicMarker

ziedth wrote: »

All in all not the best film I have ever seen and not as good as Rocky but It does beat any other boxing film IMHO.

Cinderella Man > The Fighter
Raging Bull > The Fighter

STIG83

Im not here to de rail this thread, im only putting my input on the film

MagicMarker

senordingdong wrote: »

+1, and I didn't care much for any of Bales previous performances.

In which case you must be deaf and blind.

ziedth

MagicMarker wrote: »

Cinderella Man > The Fighter
Raging Bull > The Fighter

I'll give you raging bull but It was better then Cinderella Man (although a very good film) IMHO.

ziedth

STIG83 wrote: »

Im not here to de rail this thread, im only putting my input on the film

What LZ5by5 is saying is that the Christian Bale debate brings out the worst in people around here and it was a light hearted joke.

senordingdong

MagicMarker wrote: »

In which case you must be deaf and blind.

Or maybe I have different tastes from you.

Handsome Bob

Mark Wahlberg championed The Fighter for years until it was finally made, so it’s no surprise how attached he is to the story; so attached in fact that he told Mario “A.C. Slater” Lopez of Extra that he wants to do a sequel that revolves around “Irish” Mickey Ward‘s three fights against Arturo Gatti that took place after the events in the first movie.

There was a video of Wahlberg stating this, but it has been taken down. Luckily for us, Katey Rich was awesome enough to pull the quote out, so here it is below:

“Now we’re gonna talk about doing No. 2. We’re gonna do the Ward /Gatti trilogy and make it real.”

Look, I loved The Fighter as much as everyone else did, but let’s call a spade a spade; it was Christian Bale‘s portrayal of Dicky Eklund and Eklund’s battle with crack addiction that made that movie work as more than just a “boxing movie.” This one seems like it’d shift the focus more on Ward, and while Wahlberg was certainly good in the role, the character itself wasn’t the driving force. Take the family aspect out, and you lose the punch (no pun inte…okay, yeah I intended that). I’m not taking away from Micky Ward or anything like that; I just think that one was enough.

But with it’s success, Wahlberg may have the ability to pull off getting a sequel made, especially if he can keep his good pal David O. Russell in the director’s chair. I just don’t think it’s necessary, unless they go crazy and put Ward up against Rocky Balboa. That, I’d watch.

Is a sequel to The Fighter something you’d wanna see or are you good with just the one?

http://thefilmstage.com/2011/03/01/the-fighter-2-will-happen-if-wahlberg-gets-his-way/

Great news, but I hate this bollocks argument of "take this and that out of the film and it's average". Of course the film would be average, you're taking key aspects in regards to the plot out of the movie! It's a crappy attempt at trying to sound smart.

JP Liz V1

In case anyone didnt know Bale and Leo won Oscars for their roles in the film

Sir Gallagher

Am i the only one not entirely impressed by The Fighter, it just didn't convince me as a boxing movie, family drama or study on drug addiction. I liked it in fairness but i just don't get what the big deal is.

Edit:just read the past couple of pages, seems i'm not alone.

WHIP IT!

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Am i the only one not entirely impressed by The Fighter, it just didn't convince me as a boxing movie, family drama or study on drug addiction. I liked it in fairness but i just don't get what the big deal is.

Edit:just read the past couple of pages, seems i'm not alone.

You know it's a true story, right?

Sir Gallagher

WHIP IT! wrote: »

You know it's a true story, right?

ORLY?

I'm not disputing the story's validity. It just didn't have me convinced as a great boxing movie or the other things i listed.

senordingdong

I don't think it was supposed to be a boxing movie so much as it was supposed to be a movie about boxers.

JP Liz V1

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2011/04/27/alice-ward-mother-of-micky-ward-passes-away/

Alice Ward, the mother of boxer Micky Ward, died Wednesday in Boston after going into cardiac arrest. She was 79 years old. Ward, who managed her son’s career, was portrayed by Melissa Leo in last year’s The Fighter; Leo picked up an Academy Award for playing the role. Mark Wahlberg, who played Micky in the David O. Russell film, reportedly contacted the family to express condolences.

RIP

JP Liz V1

Source

Mark Wahlberg has said at the Spike TV Guys Choice Awards, that The Fighter 2 is going to happen.
During the acceptance speech for ‘Guy Movie of the Year’, Wahlberg said: “We left out the Arturo Gatti fights for a reason".
He continued: “Because that’s for Fighter 2. We’re not going to do Fighter 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, but we’re going to do 2. We’re going to do the Ward/Gatti trilogy.”
Micky Ward, who the film is based on, fought Arturo Gatti in three major fights in 2002 and 2003.
It is unknown whether David O. Russell will return to direct, but is likely to be at least a producer.