The Fighter, A Film Review

“I’m the one who’s fighting. Not you, not you, and not you.”-Mickey Ward

The Fighter, released in 2010, is based on the two boxing brothers of Lowell Massachusetts, Mickey Ward (Mark Walhberg) and his older half-brother Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale). However, it’s not initially about the bonding of the brothers; it’s something else.

George Michael “Irish” Micky Ward Jr,  had to face through so many familial adversities in order to become the welterweight champion of the 1980s. Micky had to endure his crack using brother’s lifestyle, and to always be number two in his mother’s eyes. To his mother Alice Ward (Melissa Leo), Richard “Dicky” Eckland Jr. can do no wrong, despite his constant run in with the laws and such; it’s because he was the boxing champ during the 70s with 190 career wins. Dicky even beat Sugar Ray Leonard, which was his best fight and last big fight.

The director, David O. Russell takes audiences to Lowell on location to show what Lowell life was like for Dicky and Micky. Russell included a retelling of HBO’s documentary “High on Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell. This eye opening documentary displayed the daily lives of crack addicts which included Dicky.  It was painful to watch the reality of what it was like for them back then and to realize life for crack addicts hasn’t changed much since. But there is help for those who do seek it.

Due to Dicky’s constant trouble with the lawn, he wasn’t  able to train his brother. This lack of training caused Micky to lose fights set up by his manager, his mother Alice. Micky’s family consists of several sisters and Dicky. In this film, it seemed that Micky wasn’t able to truly express what he felt and everyone else took control of his life. That is until he met someone special. 

That someone was Charlene Fleming (Amy Adams), a down to earth, no nonsense young woman who showed Ward that he is made of something more and he can make a life without his family. Micky begins to train and box better under his mentor, Officer Mickey O’Keefe. Under his tutelage, Micky started winning and gained fame once again. 

As his family felt abandoned, Micky opened up about wanting to follow his own path and not having to always rely on his brother. Dicky’s behavior and his drug habits did have a tremendous effect on his life and no one realized how much it impacted his life and boxing.  His family, including Dicky slowly accepts this. The HBO Channel Special held up a mirror to Dicky as he watched this special in prison. 

This self-awareness reopens Dicky’s senses and he trains and prepares hard to get out to help his brother win the title. He knows Micky can’t win it without his help. Micky accepts his offer as long as he doesn’t go back to drugs. Dicky begins to sober up because he didn’t want his son to grow up without him and he wanted to be there for his family. The city of Lowell begins to support the brothers and their family as they train hard and Micky wins a staggering and tedious boxing matches.  This support, grit and hard work, eventually earned Micky Ward the welterweight championship. He proved he could win, but he really needed his brother right there in his corner. 

Words can barely describe how this film made an impact. Yes, it duly earned numerous award honors, including Best Picture and Supporting Actor for Bale and Supporting Actress for Melissa Leo, that is not the point. Hollywood decided to show what it is like for a struggling family and also show the dangers of what addictive narcotics can do to a person and their family. 

Dicky was a changed man physically and mentally because of his problems. That not only affected him, but also his family and this movie touches on the basis of what it means to have a supporting family or not. Every performance was given 100% because they wanted to show the world what life was like for these real life people.

Own this sports driven yet heartbreaking redemption film today on DVD from eBay. If you need help in recovering or know someone who needs help and wish to find resources go to the Addiction Recovery website. This site links an enormous amount of resources for anyone to seek out help.

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