The Fighter - 9 stars out of 10

The Fighter - 9 stars out of 10

When you watch "The Fighter," you will swear that you are watching a documentary. Director David Russell did this film perfectly, with a focus on the family drama, enough action to keep the film moving, and four incredibly gifted actors. At first, Christian Bale kind of reminded me of "Prison Mike" from the Office but as his character developed some depth, he proved to have an excellent interpretation of crackhead Dicky. Although he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, he was not better than Geoffrey Rush. Then again, in 2010/11 all performances seem miniscule when muttered in the same sentence as Colin Firth. Melissa Leo was good, but Amy Adams was just as good (if not better). Either way, this film definitely deserved to take the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. As for Mark Wahlberg, he is the man and his opportunity to win an Oscar is coming in the near future. Outside of acting, "The Fighter" offers well-crafted cinematography in all of the boxing sequences and gritty dialogue that brings this dysfunctional/depressing family to life. Not the best film of 2010 but memorable acting performances by the four leads make this film worth watching again.