Review of The Wrestler (2008) by Martin R — 24 Sep 2013

9/24/13: I don't even know how to start this one. Not because of the film's flaws, there are none. But simply because by the time "The Wrestler" ends, we--the audience--have experienced a painful, tear-jerking train-wreck that is Randy the Ram's journey.

I've never shared this outside of a few people, but I was a huge wrestling fan (I'm not too into it now but it still has my respect) for a long time, if anything, this film has made appreciate the sport even more.

The ONLY time wrestling's fake is when the matches' outcomes and storylines are taken into consideration; outside of that, the bumps (impact, whatever you want to call it), the constant traveling, the time away from one's family, etc is all very real.

On top of that is the company's pressure to make its roster [literally] look like true competition. In other words, a champion has to not only be over with the fans, they have to LOOK like a champion.

I'm hinting at steroids when I typed that. But that's going off topic although that aspect is kind of explored in the film. Mickey Rourke is the heart and soul of "The Wrestler"--a role which he takes up so well that we forget that Randy the Ram is not a real character.

There's enough action to earn the approval of movie fans who find drama to boring and enough emotion to inject itself into the soft side of the toughest SOB on the planet. I was more moved by the film's more tender moments, maybe some that might appear as insignificant.

Like when Randy is forced to retire from wrestling, he walks into the deli section to work and before going out, he hears the chants of an explosive crowd only to find a lack of adrenaline in what he's been forced to do because wrestling has taken a toll on him by this point in the film.

There are other examples but that one stood out to me, the director was a genius to not let us into Randy's mind but to show us through certain actions how he felt. Everything was perfectly crafted in "the Wrestler" and ultimately (no matter how many times I watch it) it's one of the best films I've ever seen (and I truly mean that this time).