After sitting through the over-amped and obnoxious trailers for Season of the Witch, and I Am Number Four, and Thor, which illustrate in vivid example the over-use of visual effects and shattering sound in forthcoming films, I settled back into the reality of sub-working class Lowell, Massachusetts to enjoy the true story of Micky Ward . . . "the fighter" . . . played by Mark Wahlberg, in one of his most likeable roles ever, very carefully measured acting that makes him the focal point of moderation in this story, even though he is the one dishing out all the punches. I have seen him in numerous movies, but this is the first time I've really liked him. Simply put, Wahlberg is a knockout.

This movie is nicely cut and masterfully directed, taking us into the boxing ring without over-emphasis on the visual agony of the delivered punch and accompanying facial compression, and we are not splattered with slo-mo flying slobber and blood droplets, a la any of the Rocky movies.

The fights are real and mercifully brief with no need for toe-curling pain.

Then there is Dickie, Micky's not-so-likeable trainer and brother, played by real-life bad-boy Christian Bale, looking quite dissipated since his debut as the handsome lad in Empire of the Sun (1987). Here, he is the crackhead black sheep of this family, populated mostly by trailer trash women (sans trailers) who spend more time on their hair than their morals, real roller derby types, all shepherded by their manipulative mother, Alice . . . and between her and Dickie, it is difficult to determine who is the bigger user.

It is equally difficult to figure out who will be nominated for any number of awards, because whether from experience or instinct, Bale becomes a highly believable crack addict, and Melissa Leo as Alice, the mother, is glammed-up low-life at its Oscar-worthy best. Her portrayal is all the more remarkable if you Google her name and look at the third link "images" of her in real life and other roles.

We all know people like this . . . hard-bitten, hard drinking, potty mouth females, the kind of characters we saw in Barfly, brought to the screen with mesmerizing credibility. . . the clothes, the hair-do's, the dialogue . . . all perfectly realized.

And please include in this praise the performance by Amy Adams, as Charlene, the barmaid who gets sucked into this family as Micky's girlfriend, and becomes a quieting influence on him, and who is as watchable as all the backstreets of lower middle class Lowell Mass.

This is a good movie. There are Oscars here for sure. This movie could be a contender.

- - Thomas Ormsby