Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The Wrestler

The Wrestler almost plays like a documentary at parts, and in a way it is. It shows the way of life for a group of people in the sports world. Their story is mostly untold, and here (using real-life wrestlers) a world is uncovered. It's a trashy world, filled with whores and blood, losers and drug addicted friends. But there's a certain nobility to the wrestlers. They take a hell-of-a-lot-of pain, and (as in most professions like it) their bodies start to break down. Randy "The Ram" Robinson is the hero, played in a career turning performance by Mickey Rourke (Sin City). He's one tough son-of-a-bitch, but he's coming to the end of his career (and possibly his life). His heart is having troubles, his daughter despises him, and his only friend is a dubious stripper played by Marissa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny). But it's not just the performance of Rourke and the realness within the entire film that makes it so good. There's a certain style and melancholly to it. It represents not just wrestlers at the end of their line, but people. If Randy is unable to be a wrestler, and everything else in his life is essentially shit, then what is left for him? What does he have to hold onto? The Wrestler is electrifying.
The Wrestler: ★★★★

No comments:

Post a Comment