Personally, it's a three way tie between: the brothers meeting on the beach ("And who are you, exactly?"), Tommy throwing the money in his father's face (yeesh... so harsh), and his later acceptance of his drunken dad.
The ending was also a tear jerker.
Tommy's acceptance of his drunken dad - the most emotional scene I've seen in years.
shareAgreed! You knew how angry he was and saw how horrible he was to his dad the night before, and yet that scene was so damned tender. GAWD Nolte deserved an Oscar for making me feel sorry for someone who was obviously an abusive, drunk monster when they were kids!
shareSame with here, meeting in the beach, throwing the coins, when Tommy hug his father and when Tommy finally accepted his brother and let go all the anger, hatred and pain inside him then taps out to end the fight.
"Let them Hate as long as they Fear"
When Brenden says at the end, "I'm sorry" and "I love you" while relentlessly beating up his brother who won't quit. And when Tommy taps out, that was really emotional because he accepts his brother finally.
shareThe end was definitely the most emotional. I saw it as a redemption of both brothers. Brendan finally gave an honest apology and Tommy accepted it.
shareTommy throwing the money in his father's face (yeesh... so harsh)
The coin toss hurts me to watch. Tom Hardy plays angry and emotionally scarred very well.
shareThe most emotional scene IMO was after the 3rd round of the title fight when Tommy popped his shoulder, writhing in pain, needing his father to console him for the first time in the entire film...yet his father being gone.
shareAll of the above. I was particularly moved by the tap Tommy gave Brendan. It was more of a pat or a caress (I don't mean that in a weird way). It was a tender, brotherly moment that communicated so much more than words.
I loved this movie.
I thought the most emotional scene was when Paddy confronted Brendan outside his house, he really wanted his son back, but knew it was impossible. The final plea for a cup of coffee to a slammed door got me.
shareFor me it was those you mentioned and Becks81:
1) When Paddy turns up at Brendan's home in an attempt to reconcile with his son and see his grandchildren. I felt so much for him and thought how could Brendan be so uncharitable towards his own father no less. But, what I found was even worse was that his grandchildren didn't even know who he was
2) Then when both brothers encounter each other on the beach and as you noted Tommy remarks, "And who are you exactly?" I felt angry at this exchange as I thought your own brother wants to reconcile with you and Tommy's acting like he's a total stranger. In one way, it was poetic justice since Brendan was only being repaid in kind as he paid out to his own father earlier. But, it also affected me as I thought of an experience when my sister and I went to the funeral of my father's sister who he had reconciled with prior to her death. We saw his other sister, who he still remained estranged with. And my sister and I went to greet her and our uncle (even though I hadn't seen them for over three decades) and my sister informed her who she was and our aunt's response was to exclaim similarly to Tommy, "I don't know you. I don't know who you are." This upset me on the inside as I felt, "Oh come on! She's your niece. What does she have to do with the immature quarrel you're having with her father?!"
3) And then when Tommy throws the coins in his father's face at the pokies was another scene that got me emotional. I thought again, "WTH?! Tommy just let it go! Your father's trying his best to make amends. And you're dredging up the past as if he's still the same man that he was back then when he's changed and is trying to change for the better!" And then Tommy throws the change at him, which I found totally disrespectful