David O. Russell has yet to make anything less than a superlative film... Flirting with Disaster, Three Kings, and, of course, my number 5 movie of all time, I (heart) Huckabees. He somehow works in the studio system and sticks to his guns, creatively. Can just imagine the knock-down, drag-outs that occur behind closed doors...

I was in attendence at yesterday's screening and I must say that it was a great movie. The first little bit in, I was wondering if we were gonna get moving with actually seeing some boxing but the way they did it made more sense in the end. You feel like all the characters have something at stake in their lives and are full people.

By the end, you are just wanting to jump up out of your seats and cheer for Wahlberg! I would say that it'ss a must see when it hits theaters and one other thing to note that is has amazing sound design... you feel like your in the ring with Wahlberg.

Deadline has Q&A with Wahlberg (here), talks about fight to get film made and includes "...Wahlberg helped rework the picture from a $50M studio film into a scrappy $20M indie." Bravo Wahlberg, and I'd love to see 10 great heartfelt 20m films vs one 2012 (cast, budget, that movie had everything it should have needed to be great).

Taste of Tea, not Hollywood, but first movie that comes to my mind re touching family drama about family in transition.

Thanks Chris and Atlanta for that info. Let's hope the movies connects with an audience. Love to see Hwood producing more good dramas.

Christian Bale will be extraordinary as usual. A wonderful actor.

This did become my movie of the year. I am a fan of David O Russel - and have loved his films - but I was initially thinking - what the heck is he doing making a boxing film?

This is way more a family story with some boxing than it is a boxing story with some family. And what a family it is. To balance these two is so tricky - but he does a great job. Incredible performances all around...and so heartfelt. Melissa Leo is so good and Christian Bale is amazing. To see the real brothers at the end of the movie is revelatory.

Go see this. It is such a good film. To have been there at Gruman's Chinese when it debuted - with Marky Mark intro'ing it was a privilege.

This did become my movie of the year. I am a fan of David O Russel - and have loved his films - but I was initially thinking - what the heck is he doing making a boxing film?

This is way more a family story with some boxing than it is a boxing story with some family. And what a family it is. To balance these two is so tricky - but he does a great job. Incredible performances all around...and so heartfelt. Melissa Leo is so good and Christian Bale is amazing. To see the real brothers at the end of the movie is revelatory.

Go see this. It is such a good film. To have been there at Gruman's Chinese when it debuted - with Marky Mark intro'ing it was a privilege.