What’s not to like about a boxing movie that has Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale in the lead roles with the delectable Amy Adams supporting?
Sure, the plot is pretty predictable and follows the same loose format that every boxing movie since Rocky does (down and out boxer gets his ass handed to him, struggles with internal and external conflict, sorts his shit out, trains like a beast and starts kicking serious ass) but the bottom line here is that, in one simple sentence, Bale MAKES this movie.
He might be a total asshole is real life, but holy shit the man can act, and watching him portray “Irish†Micky Ward’s (Wahlberg’s) manic, crack-addled brother Dicky in the movie is nothing short of mesmerising.
Mark Wahlberg is no slouch in this movie either and brings that same instantly likeable charm to the screen that he does in nearly every movie he’s ever starred in. It’s just a pity his character doesn’t have the same depth to him that Bale’s does, but conversely, if he did it could very well have diverted from Bale’s killer performance, which would have in turn affected the movie’s overall impact.
Wahlberg gets the job done and does it well. He’s also flippin’ MASSIVE AND RIPPED in this movie which is pretty lekker charna cause a oke who KLAPS IT is a pretty kief guy in my books hey boychay?
Amy Adams also does a decent job of playing Charlene, Wahlberg’s love interest in the movie and somehow manages to walk that fine line between getting you to like her and getting you to think she’s a total bitch at the same time. The scenes where she goes up against Wahlberg’s seven trashy sisters are highly entertaining as are the sisters themselves who seem to spend their lives slouching around their mom’s house judging people.
Bale deserved the Best Supporting Oscar for this one because of his flawless portrayal of a character type he’s never done before. His loose, goofy acting style and the fact that he lost so much weight for this movie are both testament to this man’s incredible ability to literally become a completely different person.
I’d highly recommend checking this film out if you’re a fan of Bale’s work or if you’re in the mood for a feel-good story about an underdog with a lot of heart who literally fights his way through life and ultimately wins.
Final Verdict: 8/10
-ST
