Acting is phenomenal!!

Rating: 10/10 (10 May 2014)

Even if MMA is not your thing, the acting is especially good. Some have reviewed that the depth of the characters was insufficient, but the characters give enough depth to their characters played to keep the entire film gripping. Nick Nolte excels himself as a former drunk father, conflicted and looking for forgiveness. The dialogue in the living room scene between Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte was so intense and raw when he talks about running away from dad and how his mum lived with poor health with no insurance, you feel uncomfortable just listening to it!! Very touching. This is a movie you will watch time and time again, and with every viewing appreciate more and more the exceptional acting and superb directing. My only slight quibble is some lazy camera work with the fight scenes where the camera drifts onto other angles other than the fight which we all want to see, missing out on prime action. This is particularly true when Tom fights mad dog for the first time in the gym. Also a extended conclusion would of been nice to see the brothers progress to a more resolved setting with their father and each other. But by wanting more it shows how involving the film is. A must see.