Movie Review: “The Wrestler”

One film that came into the 2008 Venice Film Festival under the radar and came out with the prestigious Il Leone d’Oro (Golden Lion) award was Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler. The film had a limited budget of six million dollars with a very strict film schedule (35-40 days). The film was able to make approximately forty-five million dollars at the box office, making it a financial success. With the success of The Wrestler­, it brought new opportunities for the career of Mickey Rourke, who was the lead for the film.

The Wrestler is about a wrestler (go figure) named Randy “The Ram” Robinson who was an icon in the ring during the 1980’s. His image was immortalized in merchandising like action figures and video games and was known globally. However, twenty years later, those glory days have passed, and Randy is forced to earn a living by brawling before handfuls of fans in high school gyms and community centers around New Jersey. In the wake of a heart attack, the former icon attempts to earn a little extra cash while working in a deli and making an effort to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter Stephanie. Yet despite Randy’s continued attempts at convincing a stripper named Cassidy to settle down with him in his trailer, the ring still calls to him. Later, when the prospect of a high profile rematch with his longtime nemesis presents itself, Randy is forced to weigh his mortality against his desire to hear the crowd roar one last time.

The greatest highlight of The Wrestler was Mickey Rourke’s performance as Randy “The Ram” Robinson. One of the reasons why Mickey Rourke was perfect for this role was because of his troubled past (many people believing his career was washed-up). His real-life experiences can easily be compared to the character in the film which gives the film an eerie layer. Rourke’s delivery is simply spell-bounding throughout the whole film. The reasoning for the excellent delivery can be contributed by the constant line by line rehearsals with director Darren Aronofsky. Watching this film, you can’t help, but have sympathy for the defeated character. Even though Randy deserves to be where he is due to abandoning his child and his drug-use, we still root for him to succeed throughout the film.

Another great performance in The Wrestler is Marisa Tomei as Cassidy. The chemistry between her and Rourke feels so natural on screen. Her character also faces the same challenges as Randy and bounces off each another really well.

The direction of the film is spectacular from beginning to end. Aronofsky is able to successfully capture the gripping emotions in each scene. I also like how he incorporated improvisation into the film. An example of the improvisation that was in the film was when Randy was taking orders at the deli counter. Another aspect of the direction that I liked was for certain scenes; Aronofsky puts the camera over Randy’s shoulder and is able to present an almost-first person perspective for the audience. It’s mostly used when he is coming into work at the grocery store and when he enters the ring.

This film was one of my first blind-buys when it was released on DVD and I was glad that I wasn’t disappointed. There are so many layers to this film that it can be enjoyed for multiple viewings without getting stale. If you haven’t checked out this film then I highly encourage you to do so.

Tags: April 2010, Darren Aronofsky, Marisa Tomei, Mickey Rourke, Movie Review, The Wrestler