The Fighter (2010)
90%RT Audience Score: 89%
Awards & Nominations: Won 2 Oscars
74 wins & 123 nominations total
Led by a trio of captivating performances from Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, and Amy Adams, The Fighter is a solidly entertaining, albeit predictable, entry in the boxing drama genre.
The Fighter is a knockout movie that packs a punch with its impressive performances and emotional storyline. Wahlberg and Bale deliver powerful performances, while Leo and Adams bring depth to their characters. Sure, it may be a conventional boxing flick, but it’s the heart of the “tough people” of Lowell that makes this movie stand out. And if you’re expecting non-stop fighting, you may be disappointed, but you’ll leave feeling emotionally punch-drunk on a better film than you expected. So, grab some popcorn and get ready to root for the underdog in this touching and soulful movie.
Production Company(ies)
The Mirisch Company, Alpha
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language throughout, drug content, some violence and sexuality
Year of Release
2010
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital Dolby Surround 7.1
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 56m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 17, 2010 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 15, 2011
Genre(s)
Drama/Biography
Keyword(s)
starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo, Jack McGee, Mickey O’Keefe, directed by David O Russell, written by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, drama, biography, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Candice Frederick, Philip French, David Sexton, Peter Bradshaw, Kevin Maher, Sukhdev Sandhu, Robin Holabird, James McMahon, Joanne Laurier, Mike Massie, Richard Propes, MPAA rating R, boxing, family, redemption, Micky Ward, Dicky Eklund, Charlene Fleming, Alice Ward, George Ward, produced by David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Ryan Kavanaugh, Mark Wahlberg, Dorothy Aufiero, Paul Tamasy
Worldwide gross: $129,190,869
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $175,620,326
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 770
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 19,151,617
US/Canada gross: $93,617,009
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $127,261,700
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 599
US/Canada opening weekend: $300,010
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $407,830
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,451
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $25,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $33,984,663
Production budget ranking: 1,079
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $18,300,741
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $123,334,922
ROI to date (est.): 236%
ROI ranking: 559
Christian Bale – Dicky Eklund
Amy Adams – Charlene Fleming
Melissa Leo – Alice Ward
Jack McGee – George Ward
Mickey O’Keefe – Self
Director(s)
David O. Russell
Writer(s)
Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson
Producer(s)
David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Ryan Kavanaugh, Mark Wahlberg, Dorothy Aufiero, Paul Tamasy
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 2 Oscars
74 wins & 123 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (253) | Top Critics (63) | Fresh (229) | Rotten (24)
Overall The Fighter is a touching, soulful knockout of a movie.
September 9, 2017 | Rating: A
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
Both Wahlberg and Bale are excellent in their different registers, as are Melissa Leo and Amy Adams as the differently calibrated women.
February 7, 2011
Philip French
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Wahlberg, always so physically solid, is deep inside himself in this role.
February 4, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
David Sexton
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
The Fighter looks at first as if it is going to be a far more interesting movie than the straightforward and even rather undemanding drama we finally get.
February 3, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Russell throws so much at the screen that there is little time to make your mind up.
February 3, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Kevin Maher
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
[A] rickety, unfocused contraption of a film that sputters and chugs along without offering any hint of why its director thought it was worth making.
February 3, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Sukhdev Sandhu
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Wahlberg’s ripped physique look right, and he acts his part well.
August 10, 2021
Robin Holabird
Robin Holabird
You may come to see The Fighter expecting fighting. If you can overlook that primal disappointment, chances are you’ll leave feeling emotionally punch-drunk on a better film than you expected.
May 25, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
James McMahon
NME
While The Fighter is in some ways more conventional than the filmmaker’s previous efforts, its heart lies, as Russell puts it, with the “tough people” of Lowell.
March 1, 2021
Joanne Laurier
World Socialist Web Site
Populated by quite a few impressive performances and an equal assemblage of dislikable characters.
November 29, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
A conventional boxing flick where boxing isn’t so much a plot device as it is the world in which these people live.
September 7, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
A story of comebacks, in life, love, family, and boxing. At times it can be kind of a mess, where you’re not entirely sure what the real story is, but the strength of the acting carries you through the rough patches.
July 14, 2020 | Rating: B+
Brent McKnight
The Last Thing I See…
Plot
The Fighter is a drama about boxer “Irish” Micky Ward’s unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky, a boxer-turned-trainer on the verge of being KO’d by drugs and crime.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Christian Bale won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Fighter.
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