Brilliant Bale packs killer punch

The Fighter, Directed by David O Russell, Nationwide, cert 15A, Rating: ****

Arriving in cinemas laden with Oscar nominations, David O Russell’s The Fighter is an old-fashioned, unashamedly crowd pleasing boxing story.

Flawlessly acted and brilliantly directed, it tells the true story of welterweight ‘‘Irish’’ Micky Ward’s unlikely journey to a world championship belt.

Ward’s half-brother Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale) once went ten rounds with Sugar Ray Leonard, briefly knocking him down, and ...