25 best sports movies, ranked by the dust in your eye

9. The Fighter (2010)

Directed by David O. Russell
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, and Melissa Leo

When trailers for The Fighter begin to pop up near the end of the last decade, the film initially looked pretty chintzy. Although based on a true story, the film’s plot seemed a retread of Rocky with Boston in place of Philadelphia. Moreover, Mark Wahlberg didn’t look like he had it in him to keep pace with a cast that included the likes of Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo. And its title was generic to the extreme.

But after watching the film, its clear that’s a bad call. Though not a boldly original piece of filmmaking, The Fighter has enough authenticity and regional idiosyncrasy to distinguish itself from its most obvious cinematic inspiration. And while he was in fact outshone by the rest of the cast, Wahlberg did some of the finest work of his career in portraying soft-spoken welterweight boxer, Mickey Ward. And in retrospect, the film’s title is appropriate too.

Though his vocation was a professional boxer, Ward’s entire life was defined by fighting. Not just against larger or more skilled opponents but rather the perception that he was a stepping stone rather than a legitimate contender. As the quietest member of a large and loud family, Mickey constantly had to fight to be heard. And as the younger brother of a better-regarded boxer (Bale), he had to fight against the lifelong perception that he was second best. As a whole, The Fighter is not only better than you might expect, it’s one of more affecting sports movies of the modern era.