Tommy (Tom Hardy) is a former soldier who comes home to Pittsburgh. His dad (Nick Nolte) is a recovering alcoholic, and he enlists him to be his trainer for an upcoming Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Championship in Atlantic City. Meanwhile, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), Tommy's older brother is struggling to provide for his family, working as a high school teacher. Nights, he sidelines as a fighter in dive bars to win pot money, without his wife knowing. Both brothers grew up in the world of fights/competitions, since their dad was a coach. But it was Tommy who was developed to become the prize fighter. Brendan is estranged from his brother and dad, harboring resentment for his father's alcoholism and treatment of their mom. Brendan is in a bind financially when his daughter needs expensive medical treatment. He hears about the MMA fight and approaches his old trainer friend who is active in the scene. Both brothers enter the contest, though Tommy is the clear contender, Brendan becomes the underdog to root for, and the two end up in the final round, fighting each other.
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Best part of story, including ending:
Clearly this is a sibling rivalry story, yet you see that the reason both brothers resent each other is because they're hurt that they both abandoned each other growing up.
Best scene in story:
The gripping final fight wherein you didn't know who to cheer for.
Opinion about the main character:
Tommy is hard to read, he is an angry vicious brute. But, revelations about his tour in the Middle East reveal that although he is broken, he has a good heart.
