Warrior Is One of the Best Movies of the Year

There have been great movies about boxing and in the ring fighting. We have seen Raging Bull, Rocky and The Fighter among others. Now comes Warrior and it too is one of the great ones. The basic plot concerns a battle between two brothers in a mixed martial arts event, but it is the back story and the side stories that lift this film out of the average and place it into the greats.

The basic story concerns two estranged brothers, Tommy Riordan (Tom Hardy) and Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton). Both of these guys have troubles as you find out as the film progresses. And both are on the outs with each other and their father Paddy (Nick Nolte).

In a strange twist of fate both brothers end up in a "mixed martial arts" competition where the prize money is five million dollars. This sounds too contrived to be believable but in the movie it actually works in a logical way. By the time of the championship battle the audience has been so engrained with both Tommy and Brendan's stories that they are conflicted as to which brother they want to win.

This film is an emotional heart-tugger from beginning to end. Tommy is such a brooding, lonely character that you want more and more information about his background. Brendan is more the "every man" since he is a high school physics teacher who actually inspires his students, but he has pain in his past also.

The acting in this film is top-notch. Hardy and Edgerton will get big boosts to their careers from their roles here. They not only act the parts, they enact the physicality of the roles. As cage fighters they have to be in top shape and they are. The fight scenes are brief but authentic looking.

Nolte is the vulnerable emotional center of the movie. Paddy is a recovering alcoholic who has been brutal to his wife and sons in the past. Now he is trying to atone for his sins but can't seem to reach either of his two sons. It is a tender, touching performance by Nolte and one that should be remembered at awards time.

Also providing able support in their roles are Jennifer Morrison as Brendan's wife, Kevin Dunn as his school principal, and Frank Grillo as his trainer. Jake McLaughlin makes an impression as one of Tommy's fellow Marines, and Vanessa Martinez plays the widow of one of Tommy's wartime buddies.

The film is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.

Warrior is a movie pieced together with precision by director Gavin O'Connor. He molds the performances, calibrates all the actions, and determines the depth of the emotions presented. When a director is this good and the script and cast are on an upper level then the final product has to be great -- and Warrior is all that and more.

I scored Warrior a battling 9 out of 10 on www.jackiekcooper.com.

 

 

 

Comments

[lauriemann]

01:48 PM on 09/14/2011

I hope this movie becomes "The Help" of the fall - a movie that builds it audience a little more every every week.

I'm not s huge fight movie fan, but there's so much more to it than just the fights. It's not quite as amusing as The Fighter was because these Irish fighters are the dark, brooding type.

If you liked The Fighter, or movies about people who overcome various adversities, it's definitely worth your time.

[bridgeman]

04:27 AM on 09/14/2011

I reluctantly went to go see it with my son.

I know it sounds a stretch...but i was shocked how good this movie was.

It had elements of The Champ meets Raging Bull meets Rocky.

Men and Women were weeping at the very real human element of the characters.

If i didn't experience it I would not have believed it.

[frank day]

11:37 PM on 09/13/2011

A movie about MMA is the best movie of the year???

Color me doubtful.

[Di Gray]

08:15 PM on 09/13/2011

Warrior is THE BEST movie of the year so far. And I didn't even want to see it because I tried to watch UFC on TV with my husband and the realism of the violence startled me. I couldn't stomach it.

Anyway, I decided to see it with my husband and I WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN.

if Nick Nolte gets snubbed like he did for "The Prince of Tides," there's something wrong with The Academy.

All three lead characters' performances are Oscar worthy. ALL THREE. There's a humanity AND a lack of humanity about these characters that makes you cheer, cry, laugh and scowl all in the same viewing. I won't spoil anything but five (5) scenes still pull at me and my husband and we have not stopped talking about this movie:

1) the yard scene
2) the beach scene
3) the casino scene
4) the hotel scene
5) the final scene

THERE: 5 great reasons to go and see...to go and absorb this movie and to walk in one way and out another. And don't even get me started on the fight scenes. My, oh my!!!!

THIS is THAT movie. I promise.

GO SEE IT & THEN REPLY TO ME ON THIS THREAD. If I'm wrong, I'll take whatever verbal tongue lashing you want ot give me...MMA style! LOL

[Di Gray]

08:30 PM on 09/13/2011

When I say "snubbed," I mean 7 Oscar nominations and no wins, including Nick's loss.

[Jackie K. Cooper]

09:33 PM on 09/13/2011

I really hope people don't miss out on seeing it because it is a "fight movie". You are so right in everything you said and I hope people listen!!!

[Di Gray]

10:08 PM on 09/13/2011

Thanks. I hope so, too. I will do my part and go see it again. I'm telling everyone who will listen how phenomenal the fight outside the ring is. This was more than I bargained for and I can't speak enough great things about it.

[Sean777]

04:56 PM on 09/13/2011

Oscar worthy in all categories, Nick Nolte deserves one for sure.

[Jackie K. Cooper]

05:17 PM on 09/13/2011

Head and shoulders above any other "supporting actor performance" I have seen this year.

[bridgeman]

04:36 AM on 09/14/2011

Totally agree!

[Libertarian5]

09:38 PM on 09/12/2011

I agree. I went to see the movie yesterday with my teenage son, it was not only entertaining, but we also had a soulful discussion about life, character etc after that. A movie well-done.

[Jackie K. Cooper]

01:26 PM on 09/13/2011

I have two sons and I think the "relationship" aspect of the movie resonated with me