Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense mixed martial arts fighting, some language and thematic material
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo, Nick Nolte
Director: Gavin O'Connor
Yes, the film follows sports convention, but follows it well. It involves mixed martial arts, although the movie is not about the sport. The story is a fictional family drama that feels real enough. It involves characters whose actions, reactions, and emotions seem authentic and whose thought-processes and choices, while often flawed, do seem credible given their experiences. True, as the film starts to crescendo toward its climax, it does so in a way that can seem contrived, yet we don't mind because the characters are just too compelling.
Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton) is a likable, hardworking physics teacher in a suburban Philadelphia high school. He married his high school sweetheart, Tess (Jennifer Morrison) and they have two daughters, a nice home, and money troubles. (Unforeseen medical expenses have put them behind.) Both spouses work extra jobs, but to little avail. We learn Brendan was once a UFC fighter, and enters mini-tournaments in seedy clubs for extra cash, to the chagrin of both his wife and his boss (Kevin Dunn) who, upon learning of his decision, is forced to suspend him pending a review from the school board. With no other options, Brendan seeks out his former trainer, Frank (Frank Grillo), a skilled fighting specialist who supplants fire and brimstone for a more philosophical approach. Brendan hopes to enter higher-profile tournaments that net more money.
Brendan's estranged brother, Tommy (Tom Hardy) recently returned to Pittsburgh after a tour in Iraq. Tommy was also a fighter--the more gifted pugilist of the two--though both were equally terrorized as kids by their alcoholic ex-fighter father, Paddy (Nick Nolte) who has since cleaned up his act and is now sober. Tommy immediately visits his father, although we're not sure if it's for closure or defiance. Paddy's remorse is genuine; he is eager for a fresh start, yet the raw emotions of his offspring are tough to sift through. Tommy does, however, enlist Paddy to help him train for an upcoming MMA tournament called SPARTA, which has a five million dollar purse. ("Now that much you were good at," his son tells him.) Tommy wishes to give the money to the family of a fellow soldier who died from friendly-fire. Both brothers find themselves entered in the same tournament.
The movie's greatest attribute is how masterfully it defines the characters by their relationships. This is especially true for Paddy; his demeanor around Tommy is quite different than it is around Brendan. He's equally remorseful toward both sons, but appears slightly more at ease around Tommy. (When they were kids, we learn he spent more time training Tommy than Brendan, as he perceived more talent and a fiercer spirit.) With Brendan, Paddy seems much more penitent. He comes off like a desperate beggar engaged in a perpetual supplication for acceptance that he knows he'll never deserve. The script takes its time defining who these people are, both in their own eyes as well as in the eyes of those who love and hate them.
The screenplay serves as a solid framework, yet it's the performances that bring the film to life. Joel Edgerton is the story's straight man. His decency is conveyed not just in how he carries himself, but through the concern of his wife and the admiration of his students. Tom Hardy plays Tommy as an uncompromising pit bull with hatred coursing through his veins. That he's an enigma to us is the whole point of the performance; he's a mystery to all, especially to those who love him most. Tommy may be a war hero, but he's not always likable. (In a confrontation at a casino, he says something to Paddy that is so brutal and bred from such intense self-loathing that I didn't know who to feel more sorry for.)
The movie is smart, thoughtful, gut-wrenching and emotionally intense. The climax is engineered to be rousing and spirited, but I found it more draining than invigorating. There was just too much pain seeping from the bark of this family tree. Still, the film held me in its grip. The end isn't defined by who wins, but by the long-overdue embrace as the two warriors stepped from the ring. One whispers something to the other. We can't hear. We don't deserve to hear. Whatever it was, it was a sentiment meant only for them. They earned it.
* * * out of * * * * stars
