Written by: Gavin O’Connor, Anthony Tambakis, Cliff Dorfman
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo, Nick Nolte
Rating: [4.5/5]
Desperation always serves as the best form of motivation when trying to get something done, which explains why some procrastinators need to have the pressure of an approaching deadline. Having one’s back against the wall forces them to rise to the occasion, which Warrior takes on fully through its storytelling in this ballad of two brothers and their alcoholic father. It certainly follows the tropes one would expect of its genre but does so in such beautiful sincerity.
U.S. Marine Tommy (Tom Hardy) has a contentious relationship with his alcoholic father Paddy (Nick Nolte) after the abusive relationship of his childhood also shared by his brother Brendan (Joel Edgerton). Both proficient in mixed martial arts, the two brothers join a tournament with the final pot of 5 million dollars which they both hope to use for the well-being of the individuals they care about.
Fractured relationships sit squarely at the center of Warrior in the dynamics on display in the film and how an alcoholic father sits squarely at the center of it. A melancholic facet of the film in the way disease broke apart the relationships a father has with his sons as displayed in the film, but also the dynamic the sons share with each other. The film begins with Paddy trying to reconnect with Tommy promising that he has changed for the better but you can instantly tell that hate and anger remain there, which ultimately makes sense when the revelation about Tommy and Brendan’s late mother becomes evident. So much pain sits within this film that occurred in the past and the actions of each of these characters seek to remedy it for a brighter tomorrow.
Attacking this plot we have this triumvirate of individuals trying to do right for themselves but also those around them. Paddy wants to reconnect and make amends with his sons for his terrible behavior as a father, Brendan struggles to support his family, and Tommy wants to use the winnings to give to the widow of a fallen serviceman. They all seek to achieve something beyond themselves, which is where this mixed martial arts tournament sits squarely at the center as it gives them the opportunity to express themselves and reach their stated goals. In the end, this sport allows nothing else to matter outside of the individual work put in to better oneself. Outside interference or teammates do not get in the way as these individuals step into the ring meaning the desperate ones can fully let loose.
As we get to this tournament, we know exactly what it means to each of them, and seeing their approach in the ring says plenty about each of them. Brendan does not have the devastating power others do and must use strategy in order to gain the upper hand against his opposition by grappling and taking the fight to the ground. On the other hand, we have Tommy comes in with brute force almost making his bouts in the tournament a bit comedic in the way he unassumingly just walks into the cage, obliterates his opponent quickly, and just leaves. It makes the eventual reality of these two possibly meeting at the final intriguing to ponder how they would fare against each other.
With the film carrying some melodramatic and pulpy sports movie tropes, this film decidedly works so well because of the actors at the center of this project. This trio of Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and Nick Nolte do wonders in this film in bringing out the desperation and emotional baggage of these characters. You can see in their eyes and their mannerisms as they shed the lining of this bravado and display the deep-seated pain they carry with them all the time because of what transpired in the past. Edgerton ultimately serves as the everyman type of guy who simply wants to take care of his family and pay the bills. His storyline remains clear and not something entirely unique. Hardy, on the other hand, has quite the task of presenting this character who has an emotional shell but does not display everything happening at his center at all times. Tommy undoubtedly received the short end of the straw with what transpired with Paddy’s alcoholism in the past. The caginess demanded of his character makes the instances where he lets out the emotions so incredibly meaningful as it displays the emotional highs the film has to offer. Then we have Nick Nolte as Paddy, who comes in as the father trying to make amends for the damage he caused his sons, and with this groveling voice, the man puts in some of his best work at this stage of his career in selling everything about this father figure. Nolte encapsulates the guilt and pain in seeing what his past has caused on his future in the form of his sons making the moments when Brendan and Tommy refuse to entertain his notions of reconnecting heartbreaking but also necessary.
While not providing anything necessarily new in its presentation, Warrior will undoubtedly bring out emotion in those who watch it. In this film, we see three desperate individuals trying to achieve something difficult both externally and internally as their lives reach an impasse where something must get done. On this journey, we get some well-shot mixed martial arts sequences in displaying the different styles on display but everything that makes this film succeed emanates from the emotion at the center. Perhaps played up a bit, the film still manages to work it in through meaningful ways that help make it memorable and stand out amongst many other films in its genre.
Films with Josh 
