In both cases it is a nebulous and abstract conflict giving rise to absolute primal resolution. In films like David O’ Russell’s The Fighter the physical violence is only a manifestation of the internal conflicts of the film’s protagonist, whereas in Bronson the titular character relishes fighting as a way to garner the fame he desperately craves. There are few images more compelling than a physical struggle between the sources of conflict in a film, and there are a number of ways this device can be used effectively. Sometimes this conflict manifests itself a little more directly, in the form of fists striking flesh, and feet shuffling to dodge blows, and when this happens the release of tension can be truly cathartic. These conflicts manifest themselves in a variety of ways, sometimes as a single man versus seemingly overwhelming odds, or as a difficult choice a character must make that forces him to sacrifice something he loves. How the characters choose to reconcile this conflict is what gives the story its meaning.
At the heart of every script is a conflict, and it is this conflict that drives the decisions of the characters.
