2. The Fighter
IMDB Score: 7.8
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
When you have the combined creative and talented forces of David O. Russell, Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, and Amy Adams at play, the film could be about bending spoons, and it would most likely receive praise. So it’s no surprise that The Fighter lands near the top of this list.
The film follows the journey of Massachusetts-area fighter, Micky Ward (Wahlberg), and his relationship with his half-brother, Dicky Eklund (Bale). Beneath all of the heavy Boston accents that will leave the audience naming New England-based townships (a la the famous Seth Myers spoof), the movie does boxing cinema proud with a mix of struggle, doubt, love, and getting your head pummeled in the name of earning a little cash (hell, again, Rocky). The performances, as expected, were top-level and believable, and director David O. Russell managed to keep the biographic tale captivating, so the viewers didn’t fall asleep waiting for the proverbial ship to hit the iceberg.