Warrior stars Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy as estranged brothers, Brendan and Tommy, both MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighters. One, Brendan, has long given up his fighting career to become a teacher and a family man. The other, Tommy, is a troubled war veteran returning home to a family he doesn't want. Both brothers find themselves entering the largest MMA championship in history, fighting for a purse of 5 million dollars. Both are also estranged from their father, played by Nick Nolte, but Tommy seeks his father's help in training for the competition, stating that coaching was the only thing his father ever did right.
This movie is powerful! Three different struggles are viewed from the main characters. Brendan is struggling to keep his house and support his wife and two daughters, one of whom has recently had heart surgery. Tommy is struggling with the tragic memories of war and the struggle to find life after. Their father, Paddy, is struggling for redemption, having been an alcoholic and abusive father and husband for most of their lives. All of their struggles collide in a fight for the finish as the two brothers are the two fighters left battling for the championship.
The acting in this movie is amazing. Joel Edgerton does a great job portraying the desperation of a father and husband trying to do right by his family. However, Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte steal the show. Hardy plays the role of a PTSD stricken soldier so well that it sends chills through your body as you watch how shut off from the world he is. Nick Nolte somehow manages to take the role of a man with an abusive, terrible background and make you feel sorry for him. There is one scene where Nolte battles his alcoholism so viciously that it brought tears to my eyes. I am pegging Nolte for a Best Supporting Actor nomination and most likely a win.
If you are looking for a laugh, go elsewhere. This movie has it's lighthearted moments but it packs a punch, pun intended. For those who say they don't like "fighting movies," forget that. This is so much more than a fighting movie. It has heart, it has love and it has an AMAZING ending. I won't tell you who wins because that would ruin it but the important thing about the end is that there is amazing emotional impact.
I suggest this movie to anyone. It's not your typical good guy fighter versus bad guy fighter movie because of the family impact. In the end, it comes down to family. Most importantly it comes down to brotherhood.
For more information on this movie, visit their main website, http://www.warriorfilm.com/index2.html which includes the "We Are All Warriors" page where people could nominate and write about the Warriors in their life. If you go to this link, http://www.warriorfilm.com/index2.html#/whatdoyoufightfor , and scroll through the "View All Warriors" part you will find an entry that my boyfriend did about me (Jill Zimmerman). Hope you enjoy it!
Movie Rating- No sugar needed to sweeten this review.
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