Review of The Wrestler (2008) by Clintus M — 24 May 2011

The gut-wrenching, heart-on-your-sleeve drama The Wrestler is one of my favorite films of all time. Mickey Rourke doesn't play the title character, he embodies him. He plays an aging hero, broke and broken down yet worshipped by sentimental fans and children. His glory days are long past, but he cannot let it go. Marisa Tomei is perfectly cast as his love interest; in my opinion, there has never been such perfect, inspired casting, acting, writing, and direction. Every word and scene in this drama is completely believable. These characters have had their day in the sun, and now some struggle to exist (Tomei) while others (Rourke's Ram) struggle to regain a glimpse of their glorious past. That's the allure of "Ram-Ayatollah 2," trying to recreate past glory when today is so incredibly bleak. It's a problem of Illusion v. Reality. Both the strip club and the wrestling arena offer patrons an ideal, but the reality behind the glitter is heartbreaking.

Is this film melodramatic? No, it never lapses into sentimentality. Every time things appear to be turning toward Ram's favor, the rug is jerked out from under him, especially with his daughter's relationship. Its all consistent within the characters though. Randy "the Ram" Robinson consistently chooses his passion for the ring above anything else; his health, his family, his girlfriend, anything. He is the portrait of determination beyond any reason or common sense. To be true to itself, this story couldn't have a happy ending. Everything Mickey Rourke's ever done, on screen and off, culminates in this performance, one of the most memorable in screen history.