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‘Warrior’ With Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo

September 14, 2021 · Warrior (2011) · Action · Drama · Sport · 1:24:41

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 38:05Multiple scenes including Tommy's first sparring scene, Tommy asking dad to help train him, training montage, Brendan's first fight, third round of Coba vs Brendan, final fight entrance, and especially the last round with the national song
Ryen Russillo▶ 38:35Tommy's first sparring partner scene with the 'Yo Rock' guy - calls it the best scene in the entire movie and an all-timer

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 54:49Kurt Angle — Studio didn't want Nolte but filmmakers held firm; Kurt Angle played Russian villain Koba; Brian Callen based MMA character on Joe Rogan and should have been named Mo Logan or Lo Jogan; Frank Grillo based character on MMA trainer Greg Jackson
Ryen Russillo▶ 55:00Frank Grillo — Loves Russian villains and thinks they were ahead/after their times; appreciates Frank Grillo as underrated actor who 'brings it'

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 57:25Kevin Dunn — The unnamed actor who works in the high school and alerts Joe Edgerton that the school committee's pissed - also appeared in Dave, Mad Love, Veep, and Transformers
Ryen Russillo▶ 57:48Kevin Dunn — Agreed with Bill's pick, confirming the actor is 'the Veep guy'

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:25Presents multiple trivia facts: Hardy gained 28 pounds for the role then used the muscle for Bane, Edgerton tore his MCL halting production for 6 weeks, Hardy had broken toe/ribs/finger, writers used The National's 'About Today' on loop while writing final scene, Nolte got standing ovation for cut diner scene, Iraq scenes shot in Pittsburgh parking lot, movie remade in Bollywood and Russia, director wanted slow platform release but studio went wide
Ryen Russillo▶ 1:02:49Makes brief commentary on the trivia, questioning Edgerton's injury recovery since 'he's not really fighting' and noting he saw the Bollywood remake

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:52Tom Hardy — O'Connor: artistic Apex Mountain; Tom Hardy: Bane; Edgerton: yes, this was his Apex; Atlantic City: this movie (Sparta); Underground MMA movies: 100% yes; Pittsburgh: 1979 Pirates still holds it
Ryen Russillo▶ 1:05:03Tom Hardy — Agrees Hardy's Apex is either Bane or Mad Max, notes he doesn't do enough in other Nolan films; agrees Edgerton looked like he was going to have a good run after this

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:15:14Could Tom Hardy have been Leo-level star; would movie be better if Tommy fought Koba instead of his brother; what type of injury did Tommy have (elbow vs shoulder break); Hardy's fight trunks or gloves for memorabilia
Ryen Russillo▶ 1:15:20Hardy lacks Leo's softness for leading man roles; movie ending with brother fight was perfect and necessary for emotional resolution; relates real MMA example of Frank Mir fight where opponent didn't tap with broken arm; Hardy's fight trunks for memorabilia

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:39Nick Nolte — Nolte
Ryen Russillo▶ 1:21:40Nick Nolte — Nolte

Movies Referenced (48)

Rocky (1976)

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo▶ 13:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Moneyball (2011)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 7:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Inception (2010)

5 mentions · Ryen Russillo, Bill Simmons▶ 42:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

4 mentions · Ryen Russillo, Bill Simmons▶ 25:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Creed (2015)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 4:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dunkirk (2017)

3 mentions · Ryen Russillo▶ 46:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mad Max (1979)

3 mentions · Ryen Russillo, Bill Simmons▶ 45:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Artist (2011)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo▶ 27:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Black Mass (2015)

2 mentions · Ryen Russillo▶ 1:06:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Blood Diamond (2006)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:15:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 26:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Margin Call (2011)

2 mentions · Ryen Russillo▶ 24:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (6)

Gavin O'Connor

29 mentions · Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo · Known for The Accountant, Pride and Glory▶ 8:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Ritchie

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Golden Child, Fletch▶ 21:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Christopher Nolan

1 mentions · Ryen Russillo · Known for Tenet, Interstellar, Inception▶ 55:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jacob Hair

1 mentions · Ryen Russillo▶ 33:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Costner

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 56:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Mann

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 1:15:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (37)

Tom Hardy

44 mentions · Ryen Russillo, Bill Simmons · Known for Inception, The Dark Knight Rises▶ 7:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nick Nolte

30 mentions · Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo · Known for Warrior▶ 6:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joel Edgerton

19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo · Known for Boy Erased▶ 3:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Grillo

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo · Known for The Grey▶ 40:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Rogan

6 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 40:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Moby

6 mentions · Ryen Russillo, Bill Simmons · Known for The Next Three Days, The Saint▶ 25:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stanley Tucci

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo · Known for Big Night, Spotlight▶ 1:00:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert De Niro

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 26:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steve Levy

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo · Known for Fever Pitch▶ 31:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Don Lemon

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo · Known for Into the Storm▶ 56:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eddie Murphy

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Harlem Nights, The Nutty Professor▶ 51:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Judd Nelson

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo's Fire▶ 58:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (3)

Ron Shelton

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Bull Durham, Hollywood Homicide, White Men Can't Jump▶ 20:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Anthony Tambakis

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Warrior▶ 1:03:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 28:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Michael Grantland

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Other Guys▶ 7:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗