The Guilty Pleasure of Watching Brains Being Beaten Out

Rating: 5/10 (17 December 2011)

This movie runs slightly more than 2 and a half hours, but it never bores.
Nick Nolte plays the alcoholic father who is about to celebrate 1,000 days clean and sober when we meet him. His portrayal of the flawed, sometimes pathetic, old drunk is just about perfect.
His sons are, for various complicated reasons, mixed martial arts fighters who end up competing for a large purse in the Sparta Match held in Atlantic City. About half the movie takes place at the match.
The acting throughout is excellent, and, the direction is also very fine. One supporting cast member who deserves mention is Frank Grillo, who I have never seen. He steals scenes when he is on camera. He was so convincing as a MMA trainer that I checked his bio to find out if he was a fighter. He's an actor, and a good one.
The script bristles with good lines. While the story becomes fairly predictable early on and there are many scenes which are recycled from other similar movies, the story and the pace are rewarding. There were some glaring errors and inconsistencies in the script or in the editing which didn't ruin the story, but did detract from it.
At one point, to save time, a series of elimination rounds are strung together. They were incidental to the plot. That section went too long for me. If the rounds weren't that important, shorter cuts or a another technique might have been more effective. There is a mixture of mortal combat and soap operatic family conflict which, if the soapiness were toned down a little, would have worked better. The relationship between the two brothers is compelling, but, to nitpick, they don't really look like family members.
2011 has been, so far, a lean year for meaty fare. The big money has been concentrated even more into kid-stuff blockbusters than in past years. This film could get critical attention and should be around for awards.
Like the Rocky series, the fight scenes are the main event, and you find yourself rooting for the fighters. This was a pleasant surprise. The cast, except for Nolte, was an ensemble of unknown or lessor known actors. This is one of those films which offer these non-A-list actors a chance to break out, and, without exception, the performances were great.
See it. It's a knock out.