For a filmmaker to consider making a boxing film he’s got to either have big kahunas or be slightly punch-drunk to step into the ring and go toe to toe with the likes of Raging Bull and Rocky.

But David O. Russell clearly knew what he was doing, as The Fighter was nominated for seven Oscars this year, and walked away with two of them (Melissa Leo and Christian Bale for Best Supporting Actress and Actor respectively).

The city of Lowell, Massachusetts hasn’t got a lot going for it. It’s credited as the birthplace of the industrial revolution in the USA though, but that was some time ago. It’s known in its more recent history for being the home of Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and his family.

Micky is a boxer, which is hardly surprising when you consider that he’s one of nine siblings. The reason he went into boxing was due to his half-brother Dicky (Christian Bale). Dicky was pretty useful in the ring once upon a time; he even managed to knock Sugar Ray Leonard down, but not quite out. Although fighting was in Dicky’s blood, he also began to add drugs into the mix too.

When it comes to fights, Micky has his family in his corner. Not only does his brother help him train, but his mother Alice (Melissa Ward) is also his manager.

Despite his drug addiction, Dicky is also making plans for a comeback; he even has a film crew following him around to supposedly document the event. With Micky becoming more serious about his boxing career, he soon realises that his brother’s drug problem is holding him back. This is also confirmed by the new woman in Micky’s life, Charlene (Amy Adams).

Micky is approached by another manager, who thinks he can go the distance, but only if he cuts the ties with his brother and mother. Micky is then faced with the biggest decision of his life: to turn his back on his family and let someone else take control of his professional life. But with blood being thicker than water, it’s no easy feat.

That Wahlberg reckons he's so tough. He'd piss his pants if he knew my true identity. I should take him outside and give him a proper bat-kicking.

Russell’s film is slightly misleading; not only with its aggressive title but also in its description of being a boxing film. The truth is that The Fighter first and foremost is a family drama. And Russell is also helped by the fact that the events in it are based on a true story, as it’s the relationships between them all that’s at the heart of the film.

It’s no surprise then that the two Oscars it won were for performances given. Bale in particular gives yet another remarkable turn playing the screwed up brother Dicky. It’s actually a little disappointing that he’s currently spending so much time behind the bat mask when he can deliver a role like this with so much energy and gusto.

You have to feel sorry for Wahlberg a bit; his character is bland in comparison, nice but definitely bland. It may be his journey we’re on, but it’s all the peripheral characters that make it one worth following. Still, it’s a part that’s someone’s real life and he plays it well.

Where the film doesn’t compete with the likes of Rocky is in the boxing ring itself. But unlike those films, The Fighter makes no excuses for not making them the centre pieces; it’s a quartet of strong performances (Bale, Leo, Wahlberg and Adams) with a bit of boxing thrown in for good measure. According to the ‘making of’ film on the Blu-ray, the fights were actually shot by HBO as if they were real fights; this definitely lends an air of authenticity towards them, but doesn’t make them show stoppers.

What you also learn from that particular Blu-ray extra is that Bale’s eye is extremely keen at picking up observations. As the film was actually shot in Lowell, both the real Micky and Dicky were on set a lot; watching the real Dicky quickly reveals what a damn fine actor Bale is – sure his people skills may need brushing up from time to time, but he certainly knows his craft.

Micky and Dicky’s story is a fascinating one, and Russell does it justice with his film. It’s by no means the best boxing film ever made, but as far as a tale about boxers specifically is concerned, you’d be hard pressed to find a better one.