The Fighter
starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams
screenplay by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Joshnson
directed by David O. Russell
Rating: ♦♦♦♦◊
This is the true story of boxer Micky Ward’s unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. Despite the disability of his retarded Irish-American family, Micky Ward became the world light welterweight champion in his 2000 fight against Scouser Shea Neary in the U.K. I don’t have a good opinion either of the Irish or Irish-Americans, who seem to take such insulated pride wallowing in the virtues of alcoholism, unemployment, crime and terrorism. This was a good movie because it was catapulted by a great story to start with. It’s just too bad that the story is filled with people who are such assholes. But that’s the human condition, isn’t it?