Shameless Oscarbait – let me count the ways. Suave leading man plays against type as squirrelly crack addict. Ingenue allows herself to be filmed with puffy eyes and a slight muffin-top. “Based on a true story” with footage from the actual subjects of said story thrown in at the end to show you how well Marky Mark and Patrick Bateman “got” them.

Make no mistake, this is a mediocre sports movie classed up beyond its station by a cast of overqualified actors. There are absolutely no surprises here, even if you don’t know the backstory. If you don’t mind the formulaic approach of the underdog sports picture, though, there are a few bright spots that make it worth watching on the plane next month.

The fight scenes manage to be punishing and suspenseful even though we know how they’re going to end before the opening bell. That’s no small feat.

Christian Bale is really working hard here, as are Amy Adams and Melissa Leo. Their performances almost make up for the fact that everyone else in the movie is a cardboard standie instead of a character. (The portrayal of the six sisters is so thin that it’s borderline misogynistic. )

Most importantly, there are a lot of scenes where Wahlberg doesn’t say much. I mean no disrespect when I say those are the kind of scenes he’s best in. He’s not the best talker. He’s not really meant for the juicy monologues, and somehow his Boston accent is quite bad for a dude from Boston. Even so, when he has to brood, or punch, or look buff and forlorn he has a certain charisma. It’s much better than when he’s pretending to be a science teacher, or something that relies on words – so I recommend he stick to movies that are mostly about punching things, or shooting things. Or both.