This award winning sports biopic that boasts with impressive acting talent throughout the entire cast focuses on the life of Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), a legendary boxer and a Boston sports icon, his quest for the championship belt and his often troubled relationship with his family, especially his mother Alice (Melissa Leo) and his crack addicted half-brother Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale). Micky is a struggling professional boxer trying to break out into the upper echelons, and failing time and time again, in large part thanks to his troubled half-brother who acts as his coach and his mother as his advisor. Micky keeps getting pulled into their schemes that always seem to land him in bad places, so finally, after one of Dicky’s plans lands him in prison, Micky decides to cut off all ties with that part of his family. Spending time in jail helps Dicky put things in perspective and shake his addiction, and once he’s out he does his best to put the family back together. Meanwhile, Micky is winning one high profile match after another, thus earning a chance to fight for the championship belt. But will he finally seize the ultimate prize he spent his entire life chasing?
“The Fighter” has been nominated in the best motion picture category at the 83rd Academy awards. Both Melissa Leo and Christian Bale won the Academy awards for the best supporting actress/actor.