Movie Review: The Wrestler (2008)

I think Darren Aronofsky is one of the more interesting director's working today. His last movie, The Fountain, is definitely one you would categorize as love it or hate it, and I must say I loved the thorough mindfucking it gave me. Needless to say, when I heard he was making a movie about an old washed-up wrestler, I was kind of surprised, as it's definitely a departure from his other work. It drops the fancy camera work and editing of Requiem for a Dream and the abstract story of Pi and The Fountain, and instead delivers something even more genuine. That's really the best word I can use to describe it. The story is a fairly straight-forward telling of the 'old has-been' tale, but it honestly feels like this is the first time it's been done right. Really this movie is all Mickey Rourke (you may know him as Marv the badass from Sin City). He gives such a heartfelt and believable performance that you think your watching a documentary about "Randy the Ram." It's kind of crazy how the story parallels that of his own career. A guy who reached a fair amount of stardom and after some personal problems and some hardship, he is left trying to eek out a buck milking his past success. In the case of Randy the Ram, it was by taking small wrestling gigs in community centers, and for Rourke himself it was taking roles as generic hitmen in movies like Man on Fire and Domino. Anyway, it's pretty clear that he made a deep connection with the character. Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood are also fantastic, and they really help give the emotional scenes that much more of an impact. I think a simple story with genuine, heartfelt performances like these are so much more effective at forging a connection with the audience than movies like Benjamin Button (and even Slumdog Millionaire to a lesser extent) where some of the dramatic moments feel overly-constructed and not as authentic. It really succeeds at creating three dimensional characters who you feel for and a story that avoids being stereotypical sappy Hollywood trash. This is probably the most brutal and honest look at professional wrestling as your ever going to see. It's no surprise to me that former wrestler/actor 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper broke down in tears after the film was screened for him. It just feels like a lot of heart went into all aspects of the film. It's really nice to see that Aronofsky can be so successful with something that's more substance over style.

Fun Fact: Nicolas Cage was originally slated to star as Randy 'The Ram' Robinson. What. The. Fuck.

5/5


Trailer