The Fighter (2010)

The Fighter rating: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic

IMDb7.8/10· 406K votes

Rotten Tomatoes91%

Metacritic79%

TMDb7.379/10· 5K votes

With 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, backed by 7.8/10 on IMDb and 79/100 on Metacritic, critical reception of this film has been very positive.

About The Fighter

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 who rebounded in life after nearly being KO'd by drugs and crime.

Cast of The Fighter

• 

  Mark Wahlberg

  as Micky Ward

• 

  Christian Bale

  as Dicky Eklund

• 

  Amy Adams

  as Charlene Fleming

• 

  Melissa Leo

  as Alice Ward

• 

  Mickey O'Keefe

  as Mickey O'Keefe

• 

  Jack McGee

  as George Ward

• 

  Melissa McMeekin

  as "Little Alice" Eklund

• 

  Bianca Hunter

  as Cathy "Pork" Eklund

• 

  Erica McDermott

  as Cindy "Tar" Eklund

• 

  Jill Quigg

  as Donna Eklund Jaynes

• 

  Dendrie Taylor

  as Gail "Red Dog" Eklund

• 

  Kate B. O'Brien

  as Phyllis "Beaver" Eklund

The Fighter facts

Budget

$25M

Box office

$129.2M

Our take on The Fighter

David O. Russell dramatizes the true underdog story of boxer "Irish" Micky Ward and his unlikely climb toward a title, shaped as much by the ring as by his volatile family, chiefly his half-brother Dicky, a former fighter turned trainer clawing his way back from drugs and crime. More a family drama than a sports picture, it centers on loyalty, addiction, and the tangled bonds that both hold Micky back and push him forward. It rewards viewers who care more about character friction than fight choreography, offering raw performances and a working-class New England texture. Ideal for those drawn to grounded, character-first underdog stories about redemption and family strain.