Family-Faith Film Review: The Fighter
By Catholic Office of Film and Broadcasting
The Fighter: Director David O. Russell’s gritty, fact-based drama follows two half-brothers from Lowell, Mass., who long for success — and redemption — via the boxing ring. One (Christian Bale, who effectively steals the movie) is a washed-up fighter on a self-destructive binge of drugs and loose women. At the urging of their obsessive mother and manager (Melissa Leo), he trains his reluctant younger sibling (Mark Wahlberg) in the sweet science. But, recognizing that the lad is being exploited, a barmaid with a heart of gold (Amy Adams) persuades him to chart his own destiny. Ultimately, “Rocky”-like fame and fortune are within reach, but not without forgiveness and the love and support of the duo’s raucously dysfunctional family. Excessive boxing and other violence, including familial strife, nongraphic premarital sexual activity, explicit drug use, a handful of profanities, frequent rough and crude language. L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R)
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