The Fighter

The Fighter tells the true story of boxer Micky Ward and his half-brother Dicky Eklund, two kids from the mill town of Lowell, Massachusetts. Eklund's moment came in 1978, when he went the ten-round distance with Sugar Ray Leonard, before drugs took over. Ward, a patient body puncher, went on to win a world title against Shea Neary in London. Directed by David O. Russell, the film opened in the US on 17 December 2010.

Fights shot like a broadcast

To recreate Ward's bouts, the production hired the HBO director and crew who had covered the real fights, using Beta-style cameras to match the look, and reused commentary by Larry Merchant, Jim Lampley and Roy Jones Jr. The fights were choreographed in long sections from footage of the actual bouts. Ring scenes were shot at UMass Lowell's Tsongas Center, gym scenes at Arthur Ramalho's West End Gym, where Ward trained.

Mark Wahlberg's preparation

Wahlberg trained for more than four years, often while making six other films, with Freddie Roach as his coach and extra work with Manny Pacquiao. He refused a stunt double and took real punches. The result is one of the most technically believable boxing films: guard, body work and footwork all look right. It does take liberties: the Mike Mungin fight actually went ten rounds to a close decision, and Ward was never knocked down against Neary.

Two Oscars

Nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, it won two: Christian Bale for Best Supporting Actor and Melissa Leo for Best Supporting Actress. Reviews were excellent (91% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it grossed $129 million worldwide.