Andrew Follin

I watched this movie on Netflix, remembering the acclaim it held when it came out, and was excited to give it a try. Given the cast, I was especially looking forward to this re-telling of the story of Micky Ward. An incredibly moving story with a unique gravity to it, done little justice by the flat characterization, poor script, and disproportional drama coupled with pacing that obliterates any sense of relatability or reality to the dark circumstances surrounding the brothers’ dynamic. The acting was great, as one can expect, but it feels amazingly awkward paired with the poor, unrealistic character writing. Dicky, Alice, and Micky’s sisters infuriated me throughout not because they were such aggravating obstacles to Micky’s success, but because they barely felt like real people. Charlene is no exception, and even Micky himself is barely fleshed out beyond his environment. Would not recommend if you’re looking for the moving sports origin story this was hyped up to be