2011. Dir: Gavin O'Connor. Starring: Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison and Frank Grillo. ●●●●○
Friday's double bill was unusual in the strengths of one film were the weaknesses of the other, so yesterday I reviewed a film that was perfectly made but soulless and today I have a film that is arguably a bit of a dog's dinner however is all heart. I've always admitted that my feelings guide me and much as my brain so I have to admit that Warrior is to me the superior movie. It's story is weak, riddled with cliches and the running time could stand to be cut significantly, but I cried a couple of times and cheered (internally) when appropriate so based against it's own aims the film is an astounding success.
Opening on a rundown church in a working class area of Pittsburgh we witness a shambolic old man walking from the basement to his car, doughy and creased it takes a few moments before we recognise him as Nick Nolte. He gets in his car and starts playing an audio cassette of Moby Dick, it's a crutch, a reaction that allows him to cope with life as a recovering alcoholic, but it's also a guide to where this tale is going. What is the great white whale of Nolte's story, is it a relationship with his sons, his alcoholism itself, or a desire to win at all costs.
On his return home we meet son number 1, Tommy (Tom Hardy), beefed up beyond any of his previous turns, appearing hunched under the weight of his trapezius muscles, and bitter at his old man, launching into verbal attacks at his failure as a father, loosely describing his addiction and the abusive affects. Hardy is a ex Marine and former wrestling champ, hiding from his past, angry at the world and looking for any excuse to vent his aggression.
Cut to son number 2, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), family man, physics teacher and all round nice guy, who can't afford his mortgage who - refusing to move back into an apartment (I really don't understand that motivation) - ready to return the ring, engaging in Mixed Martial Arts as a desperate move to bring some money into the house.
If you hadn't already guessed where the plot is going then you've probably never seen a sports movie or even watched the trailer, and I want spoil it here, but a major MMA tournament bursts into the frame and in unlikely and character-suited twists of fate both brothers are recruited into the 16 contenders.
The fights are expertly handled, gripping and pounding, even to a MMA novice like myself I was glued to the screen, twisting and contorting with the action. Each fight had it's own narrative, each round underlining the traits of our two brothers. Whether it's the knock-out rage of Tommy, or the slow steady technical bouts from Brendan, the former's a wildcard, the latter an underdog.
Is success at the tournament the White Whale? And if so who's whale is it? We're flipped between the ambitions and loyalties of these three men, united by family and mutual distrust. Each unable to let go of the past, each using their collected pain to dish out violence.
Of the men Edgerton has the least to work with, his character seems too bland to compete and the stakes don't appear high enough - just deal with a smaller house and stop wasting money on the latest "stuff". Hardy is superb, bristling with energy squinting past his lowered forehead, he has the dangerous impulses of a coiled snake, unafraid to show the darker sides of the character as well a touch of vulnerability in the climatic battle scene. The main praise has to go to Nolte though, here giving something close to career-best work, grizzled and repentent, training Hardy whist choking back the grief from his son's refusal to acknowledge their past we feel for his evident change of heart whilst being revolted by his history.
Masanobu Takayanagi is a cinematographer to watch out for, shooting mainly handheld and with a murky palette we become accustomed to the intimacy of the cage long before the fights start. Can't wait to see what he does with Liam Neeson starrer The Grey.
Gavin O'Conner proves again that he's a fine director of male centric dynasties, here building on his fine work on Miracle and Pride & Glory, but he needs to pass scripting duties over to others. We were constantly reminded of how shit the childhood of the brothers was in the clunkiest dialogue that with some fine tuning and a better understanding of what actually happened growing up and why Hardy is ready to move on might have improved the technical as well as the emotional aspects of the film.
I can recommend Warrior to all film fans, regardless of their thoughts and experiences of MMA, but strongly advise that you take a couple of tissues to help you through the end.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Warrior
Friday, 23 September 2011
Looking for a real man (Out this week - 23/09/11)
There's a scent of sweat in the air this week, an odour of testosterone floating from the man-packed cinemas, and frankly if you're not into gorgeous guys flexing their muscles or parading naked in the locker room then there may not be a choice for you this week, with even the counter programming choices seeming to accentuate heroism and grit. It's a tough competition for top choice, with a very high average score on the exciteometer (best since February) but in the end I'm plumping for Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton rippling in film of the week Warrior.
Warrior
It's underperformed in the States, I expect partly because of the image of Mixed Martial arts and the marketing not really knowing where to go but everything I hear about Gavin O'Connor's sports movie sounds great and with it's two protagonists on the cusp of becoming major stars this is probably the most exciting opportunity to see them let loose.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●○○
Drive
Ryan Gosling movie number 1 - The art-house thriller. Directed by edgy wunderkind Nicolas Winding Refn this is both an archetype and deconstruction of the 80's action pic with Gosling as a nameless driver becoming the hero in his warped story. Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks and (oddly) West Side Story's Russ Tamblyn co-star.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●○○
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Ryan Gosling movie number 2 - The touching comedy. The best reviewed Steve Carell movie for years concerns parallels the marital crisis of it's lead with the equally complex love lives of his children. Carell and Gosling are joined by Julianne Moore, Marisa Tomei and Emma Stone.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Mademoiselle Chambon
Gallic romance between the homeschool teacher and parent that springs out of a natural closeness and shared hopes for the child in the middle. Showing it's French side is the unshocking revelation that the father's still married. That kids gonna need serious therapy.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Tucker & Dale vs Evil
Hilarious looking Sundance break-out that subverts the murderous hillbilly and innocent students cliches by simply placing the Louisiana heroes close to unspeakably unlucky accidents, each one making them appear more culpable to the partying teens.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Killer Elite
It may have the killer cast of Robert De Niro and Clive Owen but that's not enough to make this confused Jason Statham vehicle look any more bearable. Especially given the critical mauling it received at Toronto.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Soul Surfer
I'm not sure whether there's a market for overtly Christian movies here in the UK, we cinema goers tend to be a secular bunch, but if there is one then this true life story of a teenage surfer (AnnaSophia Robb) who's won't let her arm being bitten off by a shark stop her from becoming a surfing champion, thanks to her family support and faith, deserves to make the grade. Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid co-star.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Yaara O Dildaara
Bollywood picture that will, according to it's ratehr grand tagline, reinstate your faith in true love. In Punjabi.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Mausam
Also looking to pull the same crowd is this Indian-British co-production that heavily features the Royal Air Force in it's publicity and romantic subplots, everyone loves a man in uniform.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Tapes
There always seems to be one homegrown horror that sneaks into British cinemas, and this week you have the opportunity to witness through found footage (yawn) a suspected swingers party turn out to be hiding a bunch of devil worshippers. Luckily this isn't showing in Manchester.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Tuesday Trailers - Warrior
I honestly believe I may be the only person looking forward to this film. Even with just over a month to go before it slips into cinemas the internet buzz is surprisingly slight, and I've only seen one magazine article about it, but as I said way back when the idea of a mixed martial arts movie was first mooted by Gavin O'Connor this seems like an ideal opportunity to barely conceal inappropriate thoughts about some sexy guys. Now we know it's Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton I'm not sure how anyone can argue with that.
Warrior is released on 23 September 2011.
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Nick Nolte
Happy Birthday to
Nick Nolte
70 today
Whilst it's hard to imagine Nick Nolte being young it's equally impossible to think of him as a septugenarian. Coming up is the ultimate fighting flick Warrior with Tom Hardy getting into to ring to impress daddy Nolte. Hopefully that won't go the same way as the Renee Zellweger/Nolte starring My Own Love Song which is set to go straight to video in the US.
Saturday, 14 March 2009
Film News (14/03/09)
Quite a quiet week, with few major press releases. There was a flurry of box office news, but so far only really for the US and I'll be putting that in a single round-up at the end of the month if it translates into UK release dates.
Indian Summer
Alex von Tunzelmann biographical story about the end of the British rule in India, the politics and players at the time, and the rumoured love affair between Lady Mountbatten and Nehru has been picked up by Working Title and Paramount with Joe Wright (Atonement) set to direct. It's a pretty complicated tale, and a fascinating piece of history. So if anyone can carefully combine the elements of romance against the playing out of history I'm sure Wright can.
Crazy Eddie
Last year there was a rumour that Danny DeVito was about to pick up the megaphone with The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. With that project disappearing into a pre-production drawer somewhere he has instead attached himself to the story of Eddie Antar, who built an empire of electrical goods retailers, only to see it crashing down around him when he was caught fiddling the books. He has since found himself in jail with a $150m bill.
Warrior
The ultimate fighting film has found an interesting international cast with Nick Nolte signing on with Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy as his sons trained in the ring. Hardy has just made a big splash with Bronson and I'm sure this sort of thing will be a breeze for him. Once agin I'm not really interested in the plot of this one - just the sight of buff guys punching each other. What can I do?
