MICKY WARD (Mark Wahlberg) is a talented boxer but has always languished in the shadow of his half-brother Dicky (Christian Bale), who famously knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard, then lost everything to drugs and crime. Trained by Dicky and managed by his monstrous mother, Alice (Melissa Leo), Micky accepts lacklustre fights for scant rewards until he is persuaded to cut himself loose from his loved ones and punch above his weight by his new girlfriend Charlene (Amy Adams).
The Fighter is an incredible story of triumph against adversity in and out of the boxing ring. Wahlberg’s non-performance is virtually mute next to Bale and Leo, who compete for honours as the loudest caricature on the Ward family tree. Both unfathomably won Oscars for their work. Evidently, who screams loudest wins. Thankfully, Adams brings nuances to her ballsy barmaid, who will literally slug it out for her man.
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The Great White Silence (U)
HERBERT PONTING’S extraordinary 1924 feature is a vivid record of Captain Scott’s doomed British Antarctic Expedition, racing against a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen to become the first explorers to reach the geographical South Pole. As the official photographer and cinematographer on board the Terra Nova, Ponting filmed every aspect of the ambitious expedition from life in the camp and the meticulous scientific work to the fascinating wildlife including the Adelie penguins
As preparations for the assault on the Pole gather pace, Ponting’s camera captures stunning images of Scott and his team against the backdrop of an unspoiled frozen wilderness that would ultimately become their final resting place.
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How Do You Know (12)
LISA (Reese Witherspoon) is a star athlete whose world implodes when she is unexpectedly dropped from the USA Softball National Team. She seeks sanctuary in the arms and bed of major league baseball pitcher and ladies man, Matty (Owen Wilson). During a brief pause in their relationship, Lisa goes on a date with businessman George (Paul Rudd), just as he learns he is being prosecuted for wire fraud. As George comes to terms with his predicament, Lisa re-evaluates her self-worth, in the event that her dream of being a sporting champion is now over. How Do You Know is an overlong romantic comedy, padded with sub-plots about father-son bonding, undeclared love and the frequency of buses. Characters talk a lot but they say very little.
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