The Fighter

There's a big hoopla around this film and I can understand it. In a way. Up to a point. Kinda. The acting is really good, especially -and as usual- Christian Bale who is amazing as the asshole drug addicted ex-champ. Well, I guess he didn't have to act much for the whole asshole thing, but still. He again lost lots of weight and all... Although in the very first seconds of the film, his Boston accent sounds a bit British, but that's cool. He's a professional.
Wahlberg is also good, but I am surprised that he was nominated for the Golden Globes and not Bale. Maybe the whole asshole thing has finally caught up to him? I don't know, I'm just saying maybe.

Other than that, it's a perfect story for the holiday, it's as feel-good as any Disney film: Poor kid from a poor neighborhood, against all odds becomes a champion and everyone is happy and the audience goes wild and everyone goes home happy back to their shitty lives.

But, come on: I know it's based on a real story, but I'd have liked it better if the end wasn't so happy. This is a feel-good 'Raging Bull.' Which is to say, it's 'Rocky.' With good acting. I'm afraid this film will win everything at the Oscars, because Americans are suckers for rags-to-riches stories... I have nothing against the director who made some great films, but this one... eh. Nothing special. Nothing horrible, nothing bad, which, you know, that's pretty amazing these days. But it's also nothing to write home about.

So, watch it for the acting and be sickened with the 'feel-goodness' of it all. It would have been a better story if the fuck-up brother had convinced the champ-to-be to hit some of that fine crack and then they'd both be fuck ups and they end up shived and raped in a prison shower while the girlfriend slowly descends into alcoholism before getting run over by the ambulance that's heading to the prison to collect the boxers' bodies.

Or, you know: not.

PS: Bale was a total asshole on the 'Terminator' set because he's a professional (his words), even though he plays a good guy. In this film, wow... I can only imagine how professional he was on set.