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Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte in Warrior (2011) film

Description

Warrior is a 2011 gritty fighting drama film that takes place in the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Warrior is directed by Gavin O’Connor and starring Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and Nick Nolte. The film came out in the theaters in 2011 to positive reviews but was not a commercial success. Nick Nolte was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Warrior.

Summary

The story involves two brothers that have been separated due to family troubles when they were teens. Tommy played by Tom Hardy who was a one-time promising young wrestler left to live with his mother when she left their abusive and alcoholic father. Nick Nolte is they’re broken down, recovering alcoholic, and Moby Dick obsessed wrestling coach/father, Paddy Conlon. The other Brother Brendan played by Joel Edgerton stayed with his girlfriend Tess played by Jennifer Morrison in the Philadelphia suburbs. Tommy, who watched his mother die in pain, joined the Marines and moved back to his home of Pittsburgh after serving in Iraq. Now struggling in life he shows up on his father Paddy’s doorstep. He insists on Paddy training him again like he did back in his High School wrestling days, even though he is unwilling to forgive him for being a deadbeat father.

Back in the Philadelphia suburbs Brendan who was a one-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter is now married to Tess with two young girls, and is a physics teacher at a local high school. Since they are having money problems he has started participating in small MMA fights for extra cash. He lies to his wife about it though telling her he got a job as a bouncer. But once the school where he teaches finds out what he has been doing he will be suspended without pay. But he disregards that fact because it’s hard to pay the mortgage debt and take care of a family with no money. Fate reunites the Conlon brothers as they head on a collision course towards each other when they both enter a brand new MMA tournament called “Sparta” which is awarding five million dollars to the winner.

Warrior 2011 Film: The Review

Warrior is more about the emotional drama, relationships, the backstory of the characters involved in the movie. The action/fighting part of the story plays a secondary role in this great drama film that I wish I went to see in the theaters when it came out. I only found out about this movie a year later. I am a big fan of Tom Hardy since seeing him first in Bronson then as Batman’s nemesis, Bane in Batman: the Dark Knight Rises. He excels as a method actor who is extremely intense in this role as Tommy Conlon. He is like a raging animal with all his emotional pent up anger inside of him due to his misfortune in life. A lot of people can relate to him who have similar life struggles. He really looks the part as a MMA fighter with his tough thug like mannerism and chiseled body. I look forward to seeing him in Mad Max: Fury Road taking over as Mad Max (Max Rockatansky) the character Mel Gibson is famous for.

Brother vs Brother (Warrior 2011 film)

Nick Nolte is excellent as a common role played in life being a dead beat/bum like father and trying to find redemption by begging his bitter sons for forgiveness. Joel Edgerton I am not familiar with as an actor since I only seen him one other time in a brief role as Owen Lars in the Star Wars Prequel films. His character I found kind of boring and I felt bad for Tom Hardy’s character not winning the fight at the end since he was the underdog in the story. But I respect the Joel Edgerton’s character despite his brothers rage and animosity towards him in the film he showed his love for his brother at the end. Neither fighter wanted to back down even when Tommy had his arm broken by his brother when he refused to tap out. He says to Tommy, “I love you “as he embraces his badly wounded brother and they walk out together at the end after their brutal fight. I don’t watch UFC so I am not really familiar with the rules but I assume a fight is stopped after that.

Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy) fighting hard (Warrior 2011 film)

Kurt Angle as Koba in Warrior

Warrior is kind of depressing and drags on since it is a little over two hours long. But it rewards you at the end with Tommy and Brendon coming together. Although the disappointing aspect about it is they did not show Nick Nolte’s character being included in the redeeming embrace. So you are left to wonder if the whole family came together at the end or not. I’m going to assume they did because I like happy endings and if the brothers came together I’m sure they would forgive their dad too. This film is about forgiveness and love at the heart of it all. TNA Impact Wrestling Kurt Angle makes his big screen acting debut as MMA Russian fighter “Koba” in a brutal fight between him and Joel Edgerton’s character. Both Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton worked out tremendously for this role with Tom Hardy gaining 28 pounds of muscle on his short frame of 5′ 10″. Joel Edgerton gained 20 pounds for this role. Warrior is a great film that everybody should watch at some point. It won’t get old quick either so it’s a good film to buy on DVD or Blu-Ray.

Warrior 2011 Film Review: Done by Rancel

Warrior Trailer