The Fighter

Artwork and Review By: Daniel Albert

Going into The Fighter I wasn't really sure what to expect. Of course I knew it was about boxing and also that it was based on a true story, but those are the only two things I really knew about it, so I wondered what was in store.  Would I find a Raging Bull reboot?  Or maybe some cheesy reincarnation of the Rocky saga? 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that The Fighter was neither.  Instead of a formulaic "climb to the top" type fight flick, The Fighter actually proved to be quite complex.  That's not to say the story doesn't follow a common character arc, it certainly does, but instead of following the life of just the boxer in the ring we also follow the one struggling to get back in. 

At a glance most would suspect The Fighter is about "Irish" Micky Ward (played deftly by Mark Wahlberg).  Ward has become known as a stepping stone in his small hometown of Lowell after several tough losses mostly in part due to poor management from his mother.  But as the camera pans out and our point of view broadens we begin to see another fighter, brother turned trainer and ex-boxing pro Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale). Dicky is also partially to blame for Ward's slump as his crack addiction and lackadaisical attitude towards training hinder Ward's preperation dramatically.

It would've been possible for Director David O'Russell to focus on Ward's ascension individually, but half the film would've been lost.  At times Bale's portrayal of Eklund, the one time all-star of Lowell who "knocked down" Sugar Ray-Leonard, outshines everyone including Wahlberg, giving nuance to one of the best performances of his career.  Dicky's drug addiction, which he uses to blind himself from the fact that he's been riding his famed coattails for much too long, becomes almost as much of a central part in the movie as Ward's title fight, as we get to see fictionally the filming of a real HBO Documentary: High On Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell.

With the addition of this storyline comes the depth of Wahlberg's character.  Not only does he have to train to fight in the ring, but he also has to battle his way from out of his brother's shadow.  In addition he has to tread lightly on the decision of whether to cut his family loose and perhaps get the quality training he deserves or keep his family in charge and possibly ruin his career, and his life, forever.

When the time comes for the actual scene of the title fight you're so emotionally involved with the characters you can't help but root for Ward.  Not only that, but the cinematography is so pitch perfect that it doesn't feel stilted or recycled, but instead fresh and exhilerating.  Sure you've seen boxing before in movies, but overall this movie plays out like there was a drama being filmed and then a fight broke out.

Rating: A

Movie Review: The Lovely Bones

Just by watching the trailer, The Lovely Bones looks to be a murder mystery where a dead teenage girl is trying to help her parents find her murderer. Don't be surprised though if you find that the movie is mainly about a girl being caught in "the in-between" between heaven and earth, while trying to still be close to her family on earth as they try to move on from her murder. The film is set in the 1970s, a time where missing kids weren't on milk cartons and no one was worried about their children being snatched away. Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) does her best to move on from death, while still help her parents find her murderer and heal.

Stanley Tucci was phenomenal (and I don't use that word often) as Mr. Harvey, Susie Salmon's murderer and neighbor. It was a challenge recognizing the actor behind the creepy comb over and blue eyes, as he was completely transformed into a middle-aged man who had a chilling presence throughout the film. There was an intensity to The Lovely Bones that almost never let up and made me feel like I ran a marathon after I left the theatre. I was so tense I felt like I could finally breathe when the two hours was over.

The film was consistently entertaining, but definitely depressing as Salmon's father (Mark Wahlberg) couldn't give up his obsession with finding Susie's killer. I almost forgot Mark Wahlberg used to be Marky Mark as his role was convincing and heartbreaking as he was put through hell to try and bring Susie's murder to justice. He can still feel his daughter all around him, but can't let go, even as his family falls apart. 

The film is an adaptation from the book, The Lovely Bones, and is directed by Peter Jackson, director of Lord of the Rings trilogy. A grip of CGI was used for Susie's "in-between" world where she danced with butterflies and played in nature in a place that was close to heaven. The special effects were impressive, but a bit distracting and detracted from the story line. Too much of the film was focused on Susie's new world, which didn't move the story along and left too many holes. There was also a handful of scenes deleted, which may have been the cause of unanswered questions and missing parts.

The most creative part about The Lovely Bones is Jackson's way of setting a chilling tone throughout the film through indirect ways: Mr. Harvey's obsession with building toy houses, mud being splattered as Harvey tries to dispose Susie's body, and Susie running home to her house, only to find it's empty and that she's in another world.

The Lovely Bones is a film that you'll either love or you'll hate. You definitely get your money's worth, but whether you'll have closure, happiness, or peace when leaving the studio depends on the type of person you are. If you're looking to relax when you hit the theatre, then go for something not so stressful and intense.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com