Warrior (2011)

The youngest son of an alcoholic former boxer returns home, where he's trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament - a path that puts the fighter on a collision course with his estranged, older brother.

Sam’s Review

Warrior is one of my favourite films of all time. It’s raw emotion embodied. I’m not really into MMA, and yet I’m enthralled totally by the film. It transcends sport and becomes almost an archaic ritual of catharsis. They’re fighting their demons. And there are demons aplenty. Even the title, Warrior, evokes images in my mind of an ancient gladiator striding into battle.

The trifecta of broken characters, each dealing with their hurt, but bound by blood is so poetically heart-breaking. Nick Nolte puts on an acting masterclass as Paddy Conlon, a repentant former alcoholic. You can see the desperation he harbours for reconciling with his estranged sons, while also still dealing with his internal struggle of the PTSD he suffers from his time in the military. His gruff voice trembles and stutters as he tries to ask for forgiveness, showing his steady hands, seeking approval. Paddy's firstborn, Brendan, played by Joel Edgerton, is a MMA fighter turned teacher, struggling to financially to look after his family. But the fascinating character is Tommy Riordan, taking his mother's last name, played by Tom Hardy. Pain pours off of him, and there's anguish hidden behind his anger. There is also a raw animalistic side to him, from the way he growls certain lines to the way he moves.

There's a well of trauma attached to these characters and their respective and collective stories. They're a wrecked family, divided and hurt by the abuse that Paddy hurled at them and their mother. And it is haunting them to this day. His alcoholism has affected him, clearly, but mostly his sons. Brendan desperate to give his children the life he never had, Tommy desperate to escape most emotional connections, fearing they will only cause him pain. The agony within each of them is beautiful and distressing, but mainly captivating. A primal feeling emerges as you recognise their pain, and you watch, rooting for them to come out of the other side in a better place.

Much can be lauded about this film. But the fact that plot-wise not much happens, the locations rarely shift, speaks volumes to how gripping this character drama is. Lesser films would've faltered, becoming stale and boring. Also, the subtleties are immense. A moment when Brendan enters the ring and his father gives him a shaky high-five holds power that most don’t fully comprehend. The attention to detail is phenomenal, and these idiosyncrasies add such stunning depth.

About Today by The Nationals is the best use of music I have ever heard in a film. The beautiful melody and powerful lyrics mirror the struggle these characters have at reconciling their pain within themselves and with each other, and is heart-wrenching. It's simply stunning. How close am I to losing you? If that doesn't tug at your heartstrings, nothing will.

While well reviewed, I am sure that many people would disagree with me about the quality of the film. However, the guttural feeling this film provokes from me during every watch is exactly what art is about. 

10/10