The Fighter

A typical boxer film plot but with a key diversion: Christian Bale. Who yet again demonstrates as to why he is one of the best around - out of his skin performance as trainer / junkie / half-brother of World Welterweight Champion Micky Ward. Mark Wahlberg, as Micky Ward, is on the periphery pretty much, while Amy Adams as Micky's wife weighs in with a measured performance. The plot doesn't seem tedious, as there is healthy focus on the Ward-Eklund family dynamics and relatively less on the usual "loser-training-winner" rhythm of such movies.

Christian Bale for Nobel Prize.

Rating: ***