Day 29: "I'm sick of being a disappointment."

The Fighter, David O. Russell's biopic about the rise of underdog, underprivileged, and ultimately underestimated welterweight boxer Micky Ward is an amazing showcase of storytelling.  The obstacles that Micky had to overcome to get any sniff at a successful career would make Rocky Balboa cringe.  His Dysfunctional (that is not a typo, by the way) family does more to cripple this guy's life than any possible outside influence.  Seriously, they are a train wreck with 22 legs (mom, dad, brother and 7, yes 7, sisters), a misguided posse with a grudge against anyone not "blood."  His brother, Dicky, is a washed up former boxer who has turned to crack in an attempt to keep his past glory alive.  This movie shows the resolve of one man to put his life right and keep his family from killing one and other in the process.  Throw in a very strong love interest, Charlene, and this story absolutely tells itself.

The true strength of this movie is in the performances.  Mark Wahlberg continues to improve, role by role, as an actor.  He showed a spark of something in Boogie Nights (a personal favorite) and The Fighter is his best work to date.  Christian Bale won the Academy Award for his supporting role of Dicky, and it was well deserved.  He is quickly becoming one of the most versatile actors working today; not bad for someone who almost gave up the craft after Empire of the Sun (his first, and my favorite, role).  Amy Adams and Melissa Leo play the dual sides of Micky's love interests.  Adams is phenomenal as Charlene, Micky's strong, stubborn girlfriend, and Leo plays Micky's controlling, narcissistic mother.  Leo won the Oscar for her performance, but I maintain that Adam's performance was stronger.

This movie could have fallen into the cookie cutter mold of most other underdog sports films, but it is a very different, amazing beast.  I usually balk when the words "based on a true story" pop up on screen, but this was a story of one man's determination truly overcoming his vast misfortune.  One for the queue at least; definitely going in my library.  9/10

Tomorrow's movie: The latest, and hopefully last, chapter in the Stiller triogy: Little Fockers.  See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!