Warrior (2011)
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Two estranged brothers find themselves forced to confront their shared past and their individual lives when they enter a high-stakes mixed martial arts tournament.
The story
A melancholic U.S. Marine, Thomas "Tommy" Riordan, visits his estranged father, Paddy Conlon, a recovering alcoholic in Pittsburgh. After a viral video of a sparring match leads to an opportunity in a mixed martial arts tournament called Sparta, Tommy moves in with his father to train. Simultaneously, Tommy's older brother, Brendan, a struggling teacher and former fighter, is facing financial ruin and is forced to enter the same tournament to provide for his family. The two brothers, who have been separated for years, are unaware that they will eventually face each other in the ring, forcing them to confront their fractured relationship and their father's role in their lives.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Tommy Riordan, a Marine, seeks out his estranged father Paddy in Pittsburgh to train for the Sparta MMA tournament after a viral sparring video makes him a rising star. His older brother, Brendan, a struggling teacher and former fighter, also enters the tournament to save his family's home from foreclosure. The brothers have been estranged for years due to their father's alcoholism and their different paths after their mother's illness. During the tournament in Atlantic City, the media labels Tommy a war hero, while Brendan struggles with his secret fighting career. The brothers eventually face each other in the final rounds of the tournament. During the final fight, they are forced to confront their shared history. In the final moments, as they fight in the ring, they finally reconcile, and the film ends with the brothers embracing each other in the arena while their father watches.
- First release year
- 2011
- Runtime (minutes)
- 140
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Gavin O'Connor
- Writers
- Gavin O'Connor · screenplay; Anthony Tambakis · screenplay; Cliff Dorfman · screenplay; Gavin O'Connor · story; Cliff Dorfman · story
- Cast and characters
- Joel Edgerton · Tommy Riordan; Tom Hardy · Brendan Conlon; Jennifer Morrison · Tess; Frank Grillo · Frank Campana; Nick Nolte · Paddy Conlon
- Genres
- martial arts; sports drama
- Themes
- forgiveness; the enduring bonds of family; unconditional love; estrangement; alcoholism
- Tone and mood
- heartbreaking; emotionally satisfying; gripping; powerhouse of emotional conflict
- Setting
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Iraq (flashback/reference)
- Premise and plot tags
- martial arts; sports drama; family drama; military; brotherhood
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and was described as a 'touching family drama' and a 'powerhouse of emotional conflict.' While it was not commercially successful, it was praised for its performances and emotional depth.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 71 · scale: 100 · review count: 35; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- San Diego Film Critics Society Award · Best Supporting Actor · Win
- Production trivia
- The film features real-life MMA and combat sports figures.; The film was adapted into an Indian film titled Brothers in 2015.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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