Exquisite film and ensemble acting

Rating: 10/10 (23 September 2011)

The story is compelling, it is socially apt and the acting is perfect by all....each character of the main ones have their arcs....and you are on the edge of your seat! I hope it wins the Oscar for best ensemble acting....I am afraid that because two of the actors are so buff that some will not appreciate their amazing acting skills throughout this, too.....and it is such a relief to have a feature movie about the working class and not the upper middle class or super riches! Plus, I love the intimacy of the camera....you feel like you are brought so close to the characters so that you can read their nuance, you feel for and love them in all their complexity.. Even though you have to watch some serious bashing in the ring.....('tis why we have eye lids) , the fight scenes are not pulling you into the hurt of it though neither do they escape the physical realities....the sound tracks brings you right into the ring and arena....and they play with the camera work....in varieties of ways to show the story and it is a No BS story. I've seen a few others that had Mid-East Veterans in the story line (Sheridan's the Brothers was one & there is a simplicity and inauthenticity to those (am also thinking of Hurt Locker) or caricatures that are one dimensional) ....this one is complex by not interpreting just sharing the depths and contradictions and it is the best by miles.....no false notes.....despite the preposterousness of the conceit.....my one tiny criticism is that sometimes the back music was a little too crescendo-ish....just a couple of times it pulled you away with its drama....but only for a "bitlet"...They did such interesting work with lens colors' too....darkly tones for the scenes that are emotionally that way....light and bright for others....without being in your face about it.....I really liked!!!! It is so nice to see a GOOOD movie....!!