|
 2010
might well go down in history as the year the world discovered exactly
how large a shadow the Appalachian Mountains casts over the state of
Massachusetts. Who knew that the tribalism, mores and isolated clan
culture of certain parts of New England so resembled that of the billies
of the hills? After this summer’s ode to the bank robbers and other
criminals of the Charlestown section in Ben Affleck’s The Town, with The
Fighter, director David O. Russell treads similar ground this time in
Lowell, where he shows us a land of crackheads, babydaddies and wasted
dreamers.
The
gangly fella leading the camera around, introducing us to everyone
within filming range was once a contender. As we’ll hear him say
repeatedly, he even got so far as to deliver Sugar Ray Leonard his first
knockdown. Looking at this guy’s bone-thinness and wasted expression,
one doesn’t have to be Miss Marple to figure out what’s become of this
promising pugilist, but more on that later. A lot of the film crew’s
focus is not only on Dicky Eklund, but his younger half-brother, Micky
Ward, who followed in his sibling’s footsteps to become a rising star in
the ring himself. The two brothers train together as often as Dicky’s
drug habit allows, unfortunately the jones always seems to take center
stage right before important events in Micky’s career. The third in the
family troika is the boys’ tough-as-nails mother, Alice, who can’t
understand the damage Dicky’s absences and her own poor management are
doing to her younger son’s prospects. It’s only when Alice sniffs
interference from anyone -- up to and including the boys’ (step)father
-- that she goes into momma bear mode; tearing the hide off anyone who
threatens any sway over her baby boy while pinioning him to her side
with a stunning array of guilt trips. She’s raised an entire troop of
similarly possessive young “ladies” who are not above flat-out
storytelling and some bareknuckle action of their own to keep their
little brother out of the arms of a calculating dame, which as far as
they’re concerned is any female in the vicinity. This makes life
difficult for Micky‘s new love, Charlene, a feisty barmaid who can kick,
scratch and cuss with the most elegant ladies. Charlene sees the burden
that Micky’s family is weighing on him and its danger to his career and
has no problem doing battle with his whole family (- who continually
accuse her of being an “MTV girl”) to keep him on the right track.
While Micky tries his hardest to make something positive happen, big
brother Dicky can’t shake the disease. He might have been a great
fighter in his day, but as a stoner, not so swift, so back into the
clink he goes in time to celebrate his big documentary debut which is
less about his boxing and more about his downfall and addiction. Micky’s
career won’t wait for Dicky’s incarceration and with the promise of
bigger fights comes Micky’s realisation that an entire team of pros
can’t give him the confidence and advice that a few words from Dicky
can. The question is whether Dicky can pull it together and go from
smoking rock to being one for his kid bro?
Good,
authentic stuff this. Director Russell’s focus on family drama over
pugilistic pyrotechnics gets some of the best performances of the year
out of his excellent cast. Christian Bale as the grandiose, delusional
junkie is tweaked-out perfection; Machinist-gaunt and hair shaved to
reflect the real Eklund’s thinning pate. Like every junkie, he can quit
at any time, he just doesn’t want to, even if it means skipping out on
training sessions or nearly missing a flight to one of Micky’s bouts.
Dicky is a likeable guy; still a local hero despite his affliction and
faded glory, and even upon his return to the pen he’s hailed like a
returning king. Micky’s adoration for his brother knows no bounds and
being shy of Dicky’s gift of gab, sits happily in Dicky’s shadow always
being the afterthought, even by their mother. Alice’s blindness to her
eldest son’s addiction is willful and stubborn; she won’t hear a bad
thing about any of her children, even if the flaws of one damage the
others. Everything stops for Dicky, including Micky’s life and the very
idea that he should actually want to advance without the lodestone of
his brother’s problems around his neck is complete treachery. Melissa
Leo in platinum helmet hair and omnipresent cigarette between perfectly
lacquered talons is spectacular as the fearsome, proud parent of a brood
that’s like a tribal nation all to themselves. Leo’s brash Alice is the
lioness protecting her cubs from everyone but themselves and training
her daughters to be as pugnacious as she is. Alice is a force of nature
that no man, not even the men in her life, sons or lovers, can contain;
yet Leo makes her sympathetic, not merely a hard-berled gorgon. Alice
loves her kids -- all nine of them -- but like any parent there is
always the favourite and that would be the neediest one, Dicky. She not
only enables him in her purposeful ignorance, she’s his biggest
cheerleader, encouraging his lengthy slumber on his long-wilted laurels
and a part of her clearly enjoys the reflected glory and attention her
boys get. Amy Adams’ Charlene is no lilting violet either; she’s
unshakable in her belief of Micky’s potential and it’s absolutely
electric to see the barmaid and the mama go head-to-head for the rights
over the man they both love. All three of these performances are
unforgettable and Oscar-worthy.
The
similarities to 1976’s Rocky are unavoidable; the tale of an underdog
from a working class town using his fists to make his way in the world.
One difference is that the story behind The Fighter is a true one, hence
upping the stakes of the lives onscreen. The sharp script focusing more
the lives of the two brothers out of the ring than in it adds real depth
and heart in a different way, setting The Fighter apart from most boxing
movies. Outstanding performances by the entire cast make The Fighter a
true knockout and a real Oscar contender. Perhaps after next February,
The Fighter will have another thing in common with Rocky, after all.
~ The
Lady Miz Diva
Dec.
10th, 2010
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