Set in suburban Pennsylvania; director Gavin O'Connor has taken a simple story-line and molded it into a beautiful work of art. The pace of the movie is deliberate, and the dialog between the brothers and their father build the background story without the usage of flashbacks or over extending the run time. The fight scenes give the best view of MMA fighting action I have seen in a movie since, "Red Belt". They are realistic, exciting, and convey a sobering perspective of the effort and training necessary to become a first class fighter. Edgerton, Hardy, and Nolte give amazing performances as a dysfunctional family tying to make amends with the past the only way they know how, fighting!
Younger brother Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy), is a shell shocked marine that searches out his estranged father Paddy Conlon (Nick Nolte) in hopes of training for the Warrior tournament. Paddy is a alcoholic former boxer and war veteran who because of his alcohol has a very strained relationship with his sons. But Tommy know that in order to win it all he has to enlist the help of the best coach he knows, his father.
Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton), a high school physics teacher is having financial problems; and on a teachers salary can barley take care of his wife Tess (Jennifer Morrison) and their children. Fearing for her husbands life Tess tells Brendan, "I don't want my children to grow up in a home where there father gets beat up for a living". Although, against Tess's wishes Brendan signs up to train with his old friend, Frank Campana (Frank Grillo) who honestly believes that Brendan's fighting days are long gone.
Brendan and Tommy both have something to prove and everything to fight for. And with overflowing tensions from a lifetime of frustrations and all of the chips stacked against them; Who will be the last man standing?
I rate this film a 8 out of 10.
Rated: PG -13
Run time: 140 min
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