“Warrior” is a winning, heartfelt, character driven family drama set against the sports world of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Unfriendly brothers reunite when former wrestler and marine war hero Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy), plagued by psychological scars from life’s blows, returns after many years away. It’s a dysfunctional environment where his father was abusive, and is a recovering alcoholic parent. Now a shell of his former self, Paddy (a standout Nick Nolte in a character role) wants to make amends with his boys. An ex-trainer, he’s asked by Tommy to prepare him for a martial arts tournament, while brother Brendan, a married, ex-boxer -turned-schoolteacher in financial straits seeks a comeback to keep his family together.
Director-co-screenwriter Gavin O’Connor’s stunning emotional “Warrior” has heartache, resolve, reunion and atonement, with knockout ring scenes, and should be a rousing, crowd-pleaser. It’s reminiscent of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa rising from obscurity to a championship. Nick Nolte scores as a drinker whose biggest challenge is battling the bottle, and Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton are stirring as the competing brothers. This is a hard-hitting, inspirational, spirited drama of family strife, and the world of combat sports.
Image source: CatholicLane
