Review of The Wrestler (1971) by Eero V — 07 Nov 2013

Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler" is once again a film whose reputation is far bigger than the film itself. Many people know it only as Mickey Rourke's monumental comeback to serious dramatic roles and for that he eventually lost the Oscar he was nominated for. Some of this is understandable; Rourke's performance is larger than life, while the the film itself is an independent drama made with a budget of 6 million and which has a very familiar story. But beneath its surface is something much more.

Randy "The Ram" Robinson is a veteran wrestler whose career was at its best in the 1980s. But now he wrestles mainly on weekends for independent promotions, while working part-time at a supermarket. He has a distant relationship with his daughter who loathes him. Randy's life mainly revolves around the ring, the supermarket and the local strip club, where a stripper called Cassidy works at, who he is secretly in love with. One day he suffers a heart attack after a brutal match, and seriously has to start consider leaving the business. But the world outside the ring has become so estranged from him that it may be too late to start living a regular life.

The Wrestler is not just a vehicle back to stardom for Rourke. It is a brutally honest, very realistic and heart-wrenching film. In Aronofsky's previous films the characters have often been overshadowed by the themes and grim atmosphere. In this respect The Wrestler is a notable exception. The basis of the film is a very solid screenplay by Robert D. Siegel, and the film is completely built upon Randy's personality. The film is a harrowing view into Randy's life, a decrepit man who has nothing else left but his pain, who hurts himself because it's the only thing he can do, and who doesn't understand anything about the life outside the ring. When he's not a raging beast throwing other people around, he is a zilch scorned by the children of his neighborhood and mocked by his boss at the supermarket. But beneath his rough exterior is really a heartfelt, well-meaning and gentle man who cares about those close to him, and who only wants a second chance.

The Wrestler is not beautiful to watch. It touches on subjects of ageing, loneliness and physical as well as mental pain without any kind of Hollywood embellishment. The film may seem much easier judging by the trailer, which gives a completely wrong impression of it; the film surely won't attract those who love happy endings. The wrestling matches are some of the most gruesome things you can possibly see, without sparing blood, ache and broken bones. But equally hard it is to watch him outside the ring: seeing him trying to hang around with kids unsuccessfully and failing to reconcile with his daughter are heartbreaking to watch. One of the most powerful scenes is where Randy is signing autographs with some other professional wrestlers. He glances around: people looking weary, walking sticks and prostheses under the tables.

But this is what makes The Wrestler so powerful: its sincerity and tangibility. It is narratively a very modest and linear story that tells only about what Randy feels and experiences. It is shot with a hand-held camera, much of the dialogue is improvised and almost all the scenes shot in the real environment. There are also cameos by some real professional wrestlers, who are all broken and aged wrecks. Not to mention that Rourke performs all the stunts himself and Marisa Tomei doesn't have a body double in the nude scenes; something which any Hollywood superstars wouldn't have balls to do. Despite its minimalistic style, the film finds plenty of substance from familiar themes and proceeds really well.

But what about the performance of Mickey Rourke? Well, at first it's really hard to decide what to say about it because it feels like he isn't acting at all. Rourke delivers a very believable, understated performance. You can argue all you like about how he doesn't have to do much anything because the character of Randy is exactly like Rourke himself, but there's simply no denying that this is acting of the highest order. Rourke doesn't act; he is the character. Every look in his eyes, every smile, every expression is true. He makes Randy one of the most sympathetic characters ever seen in film.

But it would be unfair to say this is all Rourke's show. Marisa Tomei is equally impressive, delivering a fearless and brave performance as Cassidy. Evan Rachel Wood is the only somewhat weak link; not bad, but gets to play the most boring of all the characters as Randy's daughter.

The Wrestler is, quite simply, a perfect drama and one of the best American films in recent memory. It has fantastic performances and a strong feeling of authenticity, but above all a story that may feel familiar, but which is told with such sensitivity and subtlety that you can't help but be moved by it. It is also stripped from everything redundant; there isn't a single scene, line or even a shot that would feel unnecessary. It is a very touching film, but don't expect an overly sentimental manipulator like The Green Mile or Titanic. It never prettifies its dark and painful themes, but neither is it a depressing film; it has humor and many cheerful scenes that will have you smiling. But it's a film that will very likely bring tears to your eyes, and for all the right reasons.

And Bruce Springsteen's title song heard during the end credits is fantastic. It really grabs from deep inside.