Review of The Wrestler (2008) by Mark V — 19 Aug 2014

A character study more than anything else, it may be a bit lo-fi for most mainstream viewers. However, I found it enthralling for the most part, there were some moments where my interest waned, but in the end it was a good film.

I like Aronofsky's direction - like the doco-esque behind-the-scenes wrestling parts, the first deli shift, that gruesome fight scene, using similar shots between the wrestling and stripping.

I liked the soundtrack and its subtle symbolism, i.e. "Don't Know What You Got Til It's Gone". Mickey's performance was pretty good, I don't quite buy "the resurrection of Mickey Rourke" marketing though - then again, I've never seen Mickey Rourke before so maybe it's true.