Review of The Wrestler (2008) by Brad A — 30 Mar 2014

Another one I never got around to upon release, but have now taken a look at. Mickey Rourke's resurrection in The Wrestler. The Wrestler is simple, but finds a way to do a damn good job telling the story, and providing a hard emotional punch.

Randy 'The Ram' Robinson used to be one of the biggest wrestling icons of the 1980's. He garnered a whole fan base of dedicated Americans who were crazy for the ram. It's now many years later, and Randy is doing small community gigs, fighty no name guys, just trying to keep it up and put on a show. With the experimentation of drugs, combined with the heavy physical activities involved, Randy has a serious health scare, being warned to quit wrestling if he wants to live. It all hits Randy like a brick wall, that he nearly came that close to death. Once he's left wrestling, he decides he must resolve the burdening issues in the relationship with his daughter, as well as impress a woman who may or may not really care about him. He's old, washed up, and hopeless, just trying to figure out what it is that's he's good for at this stage in the game.

First off, the whole movie is anchored by Rourke. It's a one man show, and he's unbelievable. Seriously, he has crafted one of the most real, believable characters in a movie in the last decade. He slips into the role perfectly, and gives us a guy who's battered and bruised, physically and emotionally, and it's all very believable. When you can get your whole audience to buy into your character like that, it's awesome. Rourke's performance as The Ram is easily one of the more notable Oscar snubs that have happened in recent history, and now I understand why. Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood are also solid, for the smaller parts they have. Even though they have lesser parts, they also play their parts perfectly, unfortunately overshadowed by Rourke's juggernaut performance. Acted and executed so well in terms of performance, The Wrestler is a fine example of a movie that is actually perfectly cast to a tee. Not many movies have the ability to make that claim, but in my opinion it fits in that selective bunch.

The next big components is the direction and cinematography, which fits so well, thanks to Aronofsky. With Aronofsky's previous work, we're used to nightmarish trips with no escape. With The Wrestler, instead we are given a bleak, emotional, character study that doesn't really make use of those surreal elements from Pi, Requiem For a Dream, or the Fountain. It's always interesting to see a director step out of his zone, and try a new film on, and Aronofsky flourishes here. It's easy to see why soon Aronofsky may rank up with the greats. If not for his excellent storytelling ability, but for his surprising versatility as a director. The Wrestler is one of the few movies I've watched lately, that I already want to re-watch.

The Wrestler is a bleak, hard hitting character study, that benefits from a great directorial approach and a once in a life time performance from the Rourke.