Review of The Wrestler (2008) by Txrangersfan72 — 18 Sep 2010

It's official. I just don't get Hollywood.

Tonight I watched Mickey Rourke's highly-touted comeback (although I consider his perfect performance as Marv in Sin City as a more appropriate example of his comeback) in The Wrestler. While his performance is phenomenal, Sean Penn deserved the Oscar. I'm glad I saw both performances and feel good that the best man won.

In any case, The Wrestler itself is an interesting case study in the whole Hollywood scene.

Saturated with near-flawless performances from underrated actors, and filmed in a superb, gritty, honest and raw manner, The Wrestler had the makings of another Raging Bull. Where it lost its way, however, is in the script and, in some way, the directing.

Don't get me wrong. The Wrestler is a good movie. And I would rather watch it a hundred times than endure Benjamin Button again. However, it has some very basic flaws that, amazingly, have gone nearly unnoticed in most reviews I've read. Luckily there are a few out there who saw the same movie I did, but it begs the question of how in the world do seasoned film critics miss the basics? How can someone give this movie 4 stars when it breaks the simplest of film making rules??

For the first hour of this nearly two-hour film is perfect. Shot in a documentary style, with very little scripted dialogue, what the viewer is exposed to is the seedy underbelly of the wrestling world. What a miserable existence is portrayed. Emotionally, the viewer IMMEDIATELY connects with what the people/characters are doing, why they do it, etc. It's sad. It's pathetic. It's depressing as hell.

Then, the main character, Randy "The Ram" Robinson, has a heart attack, which requires a bypass and immediate retirement. Understandably, Randy's miserable existence as a washed up wrestler, compounded by this sudden health problem, which only exacerbates his miserable existence, would lead to introspection and making amends for any wrongdoing in his life.

But here is where the movie loses me.

I've been sucked in. I'm THERE. I am completely following, understanding and sympathizing with Randy. I'm even following why he would want to make amends. I'm even there when he initially approaches a long-lost daughter, who is not mentioned at all until his heart attack. And then suddenly a movie that is all about developing the emotional connection between the audience and the characters through exposure to reality, suddenly turns into a movie with a lot of sappy dialogue that heavily forces the viewer to shift from a reality-based understanding, to a manufactured one. One that is clearly script-driven and over-Hollywood, when much of the dialogue up until now has almost been banter-like and ad-libbed. Very natural to almost unnatural.

Like Benjamin Button, it's these forced mechanics that drive me, as a viewer INSANE.

The movie still has very incredible moments throughout the rest of the film, mostly performance-driven. At no point can I say that Mickey and Marisa are not good in this film. They are amazing. It's just that the script lingers far too close to Leaving Las Vegas and Rocky to feel too good about the power of this story.