The Fighter
David O Russell brings it with a simple true story of a boxer trying to make it big and having to deal with a loud family and a crack addict brother. The story (though true) plays out in all the expected ways, but it's almost always a joy to watch and that's the important part. So many people complain about the lack of originality in Hollywood, but that isn't the problem at all. There was never much originality in Hollywood, but originality is hardly the most important attribute for a great narrative film. What's lacking is good storytelling. Not good stories. Good storytelling. There's a difference. I've always thought that you could take any story and make it compelling. Some stories naturally lend themselves to compelling narratives. The Fighter is one of those stories, but without the assured filmmaking from Russell, his writers, Scott Silver and Paul Tamsay, or his actors it could have been just another melodramatic boxing drama. Now I don't think this is quite Raging Bull, or even Cinderella Man for that matter, but The Fighter is a good story well told. It's also nice that it's the kind of movie I could easily recommend to just about anyone.