The best sports drama film to date

Rating: 10/10 (12 December 2011)

In every sports drama film, there is the underdog overcoming the arrogant champion, the washed up aging athletes seeking redemption and coaches who come up with a pep talk to boost the morale of the team every half time. In Warrior, it doesn't follow the traditions. The mixed martial arts tournament serves only as a backdrop to a broken family composed of two brothers and their father. You have the elder brother, Brendan who enters the tournament to save his home from foreclosure while the younger brother Tommy enters to make a promise to his fallen comrade by giving the prize money to the widowed. The father however, longs to redeem himself by reconciling with his children who also are...estranged. What's so unique about Warrior is that there is no clear protagonist and antagonist, it is about their own issues that they're up against, particularly Tommy who has this deep resentment towards his father and elder brother. It is a story about forgiveness and redemption from the sins of the past, I'm hoping that this film would get Oscar nominations. It's a highly recommended movie for the family and their teenage children as well.