With a score of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, David O. Russell’s The Fighter has received nothing but positive reviews from both fans and critics. One fan even stated that they have seen the film at least a dozen times since its release. The Fighter was also nominated for seven Oscars and bagged two of them. Renowned filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is also one of the many fans of the film.
While talking about films that will have a lasting impression on cinema, Quentin Tarantino compared The Fighter to the Ben Affleck-directed The Town. In order to compare the two films, Quentin Tarantino highlighted the casting of both films and was in favor of The Fighter. In doing so, the director might have unintentionally dissed one of the actors in The Town – Jeremy Renner.
Did Quentin Tarantino Diss Jeremy Renner?
In an interview with Vulture, Quentin Tarantino talked about how many of the movies released recently do not have the “staying power” as the movies of the 90s and the 70s. He added that he isn’t sure that movies like The Town or The Kids Are All Right will be talked about a few decades down the line. However, he did reveal that he has a soft spot for The Fighter. Tarantino stated, “…But The Fighter or American Hustle – those will be watched in thirty years.”
When asked why he believes The Fighter holds that power, he stated,
“Part of that is the explosion of David O. Russell’s talent, which had always been there but really coalesced in that movie. I think he’s the best actor’s director, along with myself, working in movies today.”
Tarantino then went on to talk about the casting of The Fighter and compared it to that of The Town’s which he wasn’t a huge fan of for a peculiar reason – everyone was just too gorgeous. However, in doing so, he called Jeremy Renner the least gorgeous guy in the film.
“And The Fighter had impeccable casting. As an example, I really liked The Town, which also came out in 2010. It was a good crime film. However, next to The Fighter, it just couldn’t hold up, because everybody in The Town is beyond gorgeous. Ben Affleck is the one who gets away with it, because his Boston accent is so good. But the crook is absolutely gorgeous. The bank teller is absolutely gorgeous. The FBI guy is absolutely gorgeous. The town wh*re, Blake Lively, is absolutely gorgeous. Jeremy Renner is the least gorgeous guy, and he’s pretty f*cking good-looking.”
Was that a subtle dig at Hawkeye or was that not Tarantino’s intention? Whatever may be the case, we simply cannot overlook the charisma Jeremy Renner brings to the screen with his presence!
Quentin Tarantino Calls The Town “Phony”
Despite the fact that most critics agree Ben Affleck’s The Town is written smartly and has a great cast, Tarantino would beg to differ. While comparing the film’s casting to that of The Fighter’s, he ended up calling The Town a phony.
“…If you look at The Fighter and you look at those sisters, they’re just so magnificent. When you see David O. Russell cast those sisters, and you see Ben Affleck cast Blake Lively, you can’t compare the two movies. One just shows how phony the other is.”
It looks like Tarantino really wasn’t a fan of The Town’s casting. Do you agree with him or do you believe Affleck did a good job?
The Town is available to stream on Hulu and you can rent/buy The Fighter on Prime Video.
Source: Vulture
