BEFORE: Another look behind the scenes today, as I hit a big, round number of films. I try to schedule a big or important film for these milestones, in tonight's case it's a 7-time Oscar nominee and 2-time winner. The trick then becomes, once I try to schedule a film for a specific date, locking down the chain of films until that date. Any additions to the chain will push the film off that date - fortunately I had left enough room in the schedule to drop in "Man of Steel" and "The Wolverine" so I didn't have to delete something as well. And putting three boxing films together gave me a little wiggle-room - if this film slipped off of the 1,500 mark I could have adjusted by putting it earlier or later in the boxing chain.
Now, with just 100 slots left in the year (and 148 days, seems quite do-able...) it's time to take a hard look at the topics I want to cover and figure out what can and can't be done before Dec. 31. My initial plan was to make my way through Hitchcock's filmography, and then re-assess. But that's 50 films right there, plus a 4-film intro and a 7-film outtro - leaving me just 39 open slots, and I've got way more films than that which are vying for some attention. So it looks like I'm pushing the Hitchcock chain back AGAIN, to 2014 - next year's going to be all about Hitchcock, Woody Allen, let's say Chaplin, and the Marx Brothers, if I'm in the mood.
This means I've torn apart my chain and re-assembled it (which I try to do no more than twice a year) to cover marketing/economics, pop/rock music, back-to-school films, 9/11 documentaries, presidents/politics, Halloween, Westerns/horses, war films, and holiday films. (You can almost see what the "pivot" films will be, like "War Horse", and if I can program "Lincoln" next to "Abe Lincoln, Vampire Hunter" I'll be a happy camper.) Problem is, I'm 14 movies short - but I'm sure I can find a topic to close the gap. I'm adding to the list all the time, and I'd rather be 14 movies short than be 14 movies over and have to cut something.
Linking from "Rocky Balboa", famous ring announcer Michael Buffer (last seen in "Love & Other Drugs") carries over, which lets me know I'm on the right track. Honestly, I'm surprised he hasn't appeared in more boxing films since he trademarked his signature intro. In his honor, let's get rrrready to rrrrrreview some more movies!
THE PLOT: A look at the early years of boxer "Irish" Micky Ward and his brother who helped train him before going pro in the mid 1980s.
AFTER: I've already determined that a boxing film would be quite boring if it were JUST about the boxing. There's only so much fight footage the audience can take, and there's only so much technical information about body blows and left hooks that we can stand as well. So there has to be drama taking place outside the ring, and this film has that in spades.
From a complicated family full of half-sisters to a domineering mother/manager to a half-brother/trainer with a budding drug addiction, it's hard to imagine a more dramatic background. Throw in a budding romance with a bartender, and it's easy to see that this boxer's life is just way too complicated. When he starts to get the feeling that his family might not have his best interests at heart, it's time for Micky to simplify his life, and consider new management and a new training regimen, before it's too late.
What we learn is that there's more to being a boxer than just hitting somebody (though that's important too) - there's getting the right training, then there's getting the title shot, which involves a fair amount of luck, plus you have to not only win fights, you have to win them against the right opponents.
I liked the way that Micky's career was contrasted with Dicky's - one brother is coming up in his career at the same time the other is sliding down the other side. But Dicky's still telling his stories, still living off the limited success that he did have, and still seen as an expert, even though his personal life is in shambles. True, HBO is making a documentary about him, but not the one he thinks. They're more interested in his illegal extra-curricular activities than his planned boxing comeback.
Micky has to make a difficult decision about whether to jettison his family and strike out on his own, or stick with the plan and possibly never gain the success that he may deserve. I can see this as symbolic of the choices that many people have to make - how long should one stay working at a job which guarantees only limited success? When should one chart a new path and switch jobs, even if doing so risks the entirety of one's career?
Rocky had Philadelphia, and Micky Ward had Boston - or Lowell, to be more specific. Having grown up outside of Boston and having spent a fair amount of time within the city limits, I think the portrayal of a tough Boston-area family was spot-on, right down to the accents. And if you think the boxers are tough, you should meet their sisters. I think my favorite part was when they started brawling with Micky's girlfriend over who was "classier". Girls, you all lose that argument when you start to duke it out. Reportedly the real Ward/Eklund sisters didn't like the way they were portrayed in this film, and started causing a scene during the premiere screening. Which sort of proves the movie's point, if you ask me.
Also starring Mark Wahlberg (last seen in "The Italian Job"), Christian Bale (last seen in "The Dark Knight Rises"), Amy Adams (last seen in "Man of Steel"), Melissa Leo (last seen in "Red State"), Jack McGee (last seen in "Drive Angry"), Mickey O'Keefe (as himself), with cameos from Sugar Ray Leonard and George Foreman.
RATING: 7 out of 10 sparring sessions
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