heavier than him, she just knows that if he doesn't fight, he doesn't get paid.

Dickie is his trainer but he's always late to their sparring sessions because he's high on drugs, and can't even get himself together on fight nights. Other promoters are willing to pay Micky to train year-round so he can eventually work his way up to a title fight, but in order to do so, he'll have to turn his back on his brother, the only trainer he's ever known.

The supporting characters play a major presence in "The Fighter," from Jack McGee ("Rescue Me") as Micky's father to the seven (I think) perfectly-cast actresses who play his legion of big-haired sisters. Special praise is reserved for Micky's reserve trainer Mickey O'Keefe, who plays himself in the film. It's natural, lived-in performances like his that made me forget I was in a movie theater and feel like I was just hanging out in a sweaty gym in Lowell.

One of the real surprises in "The Fighter" is Adams' feisty performance as Charlene, who is much more than just a throwaway love interest. In fact, I loved what Russell did with her character, although she does become a bit more conventional in the last act, as Russell proves less interested in Micky's romantic life than his complicated, love/hate relationship with his brother, who Micky credits with his unlikely success.

Hoyte Van Hoytema's cinematography and Pamela Martin's editing are both excellent, although one important element that is noticeably absent is a memorable score. "The Fighter" features original music from Michael Brown, but I can only remember the film's odd assortment of pop songs, some of which are used several times during the boxing scenes.

Speaking of those, you're probably wondering how Russell handles the action between the ropes. Well, his work in the ring doesn't begin to rival Martin Scorsese's in "Raging Bull," or even Ron Howard's in "Cinderella Man," but it is nonetheless unique and effective as a result of the director's decision to shoot the fights on video, a much more intimate format that makes the audience feel as if they're sitting ringside right next to Dickie's arch-nemesis Sugar Ray Robinson.

As far as "The Fighter's" awards potential is concerned, Best Picture is a more a probability than a possibility now that most of the contenders have been screened for critics. Paramount is still testing everyone's patience by holding "True Grit" like a carrot over critics' heads, but give the studio credit for a shrewd marketing move with its AFI surprise.

Best Actor is, to be perfectly honest, going to be difficult for Wahlberg, but I wouldn't count him out just yet, as I expect the film to be warmly embraced by both critics and audiences alike. Like I said, it's not a showy role for Wahlberg, and some of my colleagues argued last night that Bale was more of a co-lead, but Wahlberg was the 4th or 5th "Departed" cast member who I thought should've been nominated for an Oscar and yet his performance was the only one recognized by the Academy, so who knows?

While Wahlberg may not give a "great, iconic screen performance," as former Variety critic Todd McCarthy wrote of Mickey Rourke's work in "The Wrestler," his years of training and preparation for the role result in a surprisingly quiet and restrained performance that ranks amongst the best of Wahlberg's career (I'm tempted to call it his best but "Boogie Nights" is pretty epic).