If you’ve heard anything about Warrior, you will know it’s a movie about two brothers who separately enter a mixed martial arts tournament, and end up battling each other for the top prize. Even if you haven’t, that’s no spoiler, since the way the story goes you’d have to have taken more than a few kicks to the head to not figure out what’s going to happen. Which illustrates one of the odd things about sports movies – they can be great even if you know a little too much about the ending. And Warrior happens to be more than great – it’s one of the best films of the year.
What makes a movie work under these conditions is the story surrounding the sports action. At heart, Warrior is about the legacy of a man’s alcoholism on his family. Though we see nothing of the history, we can tell ex-Marine Paddy Conlon (Nick Nolte) was a horrifying drunk who mercilessly beat his wife, and probably his two sons as well. Tommy (Tom Hardy) and his mother eventually fled the house, while older brother Brendan (Joel Edgerton) remained behind to be with (and eventually marry) girlfriend Tess (Jennifer Morrison).
Years have passed. Paddy has been sober nearly three years, but lives alone and has only minimal contact with Brendan. Then Tommy returns home with a mission – he wants to enter Sparta, a mixed martial arts tournament with a five-million dollar winner-take-all prize. In his youth, Tommy was a state champion wrestler, with Paddy his coach, and though he can’t stand his father, he needs the old man’s help to train for the fights.
Meanwhile, Brendan and Tess are struggling to keep their home, after amassing hefty medical bills to pay for heart defect treatments for their youngest child. He’s now a school teacher, but in the past he was a competent if unspectacular UFC fighter, and he’s secretly taken to parking lot bouts to make extra money for the family. He knows he’s out of shape and getting old, but winning Sparta would bring the help they need. He has his work cut out for him: apart from his stronger, more talented competition, it won’t help that Tommy has never forgiven Brendan for staying behind.
That’s the simple setup, but the family drama here could not be more complex, and it plays out brilliantly alongside the usual training montages and fight action typical of a boxing movie. (I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Brendan lives in Philadelphia, home of Rocky, and someone even throws an insult at Tommy referencing that film.) But the script and direction by Gavin O’Connor (written with Anthony Tambakis and Cliff Dorfman) somehow manages to make the cliché moments seem fresh. Even the preliminary fights are built up enough to generate excitement.
Nolte is amazing. We’re used to seeing him as an angry force of nature, but here he’s completely subdued – Paddy willingly takes his punishment from his sons as he tries to connect with them, and is dumbfounded by the rage he seems to have transferred to them. Hardy is an unstoppable freight train, but also finds range in the character. And Edgerton is excellent as the underdog older son, caught between self-interest and love of family.
Warrior is loaded with action and emotion in equal measure. Highly recommended.
Tags: movie review
About the author: David Raitt
David Raitt is a writer and lover of pop culture. He lives in Oakville. He has also worked as an actor for The Second City, and has written, produced and performed his own sketch comedy, including the Canadian Comedy Award-nominated ALL THE RAGE. Semi-retired from performing, he still teaches improv and communications skills to students and corporate groups through his association with The Second City. Check out Dave's website at http://davidraitt.com
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