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Depressingly realistic (or vice versa depending on your level of pessimism), Aronofsky’s Wrestler does manage a glimmer of hope in a world forsaking those who cannot adjust to change, and a fantastic cast supports Mickey Rourke’s powerhouse performance as the downtrodden athlete. Lighter than Requiem and simpler than The Fountain, The Wrestler provides a grittily realistic, and oftentimes sadly humorous look into the life of a man unable to recover what he’s lost outside the ring. Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was once a world-renowned professional wrestler in the ‘80s, but the spotlight has long since left him and he’s reduced to touring the independent circuits. As he struggles to make ends meet, he attempts to repair the damaged relationship with his estranged daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood), and court a beautiful dancer (Marisa Tomei) working at the strip club he frequents. But life proves far more difficult outside the ring than in and he feels himself steadily drawn towards the cheering crowds he once knew. |
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Randy doesn’t wrestle for money or for pride, but because it is all he has left. His inevitable return to the ring against the warnings of doctors (“I’m a professional wrestler,” insists Randy. “That’s not a good idea,” the doctor replies) and despite the slowly blossoming relationship with Tomei’s Cassidy isn’t about choice. He’s like Rocky when it comes to heart, but has nothing to prove – not even to himself. He eventually becomes resigned about his many shortcomings, especially in relationships, and realizes that there’s only one place he truly belongs. It’s never more apparent than in the fantasy-like conclusion and with the end credit song “One Trick Pony.” The blood and pain is real, even if the fighting is staged. The Ram uses hidden razor blades to summon extra blood when needed and the use of barbed wire and staple guns aren’t just props (and they say wrestling is fake). Randy’s pain exists even more so outside of the ring, however, when he fails to fix the estranged relationship with his daughter, copes with Cassidy’s rejection and struggles with customer service at the Acme grocery store where he works. His inability to succeed in the real world outside of the violent fantasy of the ring is mirrored by Cassidy’s job as a stripper – a mask that she believes Randy won’t be able to see through. They are all flawed characters set in desperation and a depressing level of hopelessness, but the poignant and convincing performances make The Wrestler a powerful character study, even if Aronofsky’s infatuation with digression and emotional torment makes the film often agonizingly bleak. - The Massie Twins
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This is a gem of a movie. Its hard to watch people hold onto the glory of days long gone, but this is what real life is like. Congrats Aronofsky for kicking me in the balls with another movie that has more emotion in one minute than most due in 2 hours.