When life hits him hard, Joe Carman punches back. Although he promises his wife and daughters that he will not return to competitive mixed martial arts fighting, Joe secretly begins training for the dangerous sport that gives him a sense of purpose.
Shot in a raw but well-developed vérité style, the documentary swerves neatly from Carman's high-adrenaline matches to him goofing off with his kids to the dark and violent people in his life (his father, his coach) who influence the choices he makes.
Though it may leave audiences with a fair number of questions unanswered, "The Cage Fighter" is engrossing and notably well-packaged within its limitations.
The Cage Fighter isn't sentimental about the notion of an aging sports hero who needs one more day in the proverbial sun, recognizing that desire as macho folly.
Thanks to the extraordinary access Joe and his family granted to Unay, the pain comes through seemingly unfiltered. The anguish is so raw and the sorrow so intense that the viewer feels like a voyeur.
