The Wrestler

Review by Loc

Ah, what good times we get at the end of the year. I’m not talking about mistletoe, stockings, and never-ending lines at Bestbuy. I’m talking about the “Oscar-contender” flicks that get super-limited releases to qualify for February’s big golden statue show. In years past, Brokeback Mountain, There Will Be Blood, and Capote were all released during this same time in previous years, much to the “delight” of audiences. After all, how can you enjoy quality top-notch flicks unless you get depressed from them? What about this year? Quick hit: The Wrestler is a somewhat compelling character study, but not all that enlightening if you’ve partaken in the glamorous world of professional wrestling before.

The Wrestler is Darren Aronofsky’s ode to wrestling. Starring Mickey Rourke as the aged living legend, Randy “The Ram” Robinson, The Wrestler spotlights the world of indy wrestling, showcasing the brutal lifestyle of a broken performer. However, the poignancy resides not in the wrestling antics, but in the examination of Rourke’s Robinson and how the reality of today is far from the glory days of the past.

Rourke turns in a great performance, both physically and emotionally. If you tune in to any wrestling show, you’ll see numerous guys who look just like Rourke. He must have spent quite a bit of time in the gym to get the beefy, brawny body of an fifty-year old former athlete. Physically, he looks amazing and embodies the role with genuine achy knees and bulging biceps.

On an emotional level, Rourke gives “The Ram” subtle layers of complexity, which are further fleshed out by good writing. Rourke’s Robinson is a beaten soul who finds self-worth in his fans. Yet, he’s aware enough to know that he performs at weekend shows in high school gyms and signs autographs for $8 a pop. The days of arenas and 20,000 cheering fans are long gone. It’s his self-awareness in the near-pathetic life he leads that makes his story more tragic. He aims to find a “better”, more normal existence: he angles to find steady work at a local market, he reaches out to his long estranged daughter, he hopes to find a meaningful relationship, and he even tries to let go of his wrestling life.

What follows is the journey of a broken man trying to mend himself. However, this is an Aronofsky indie-flick, and he’s the guy who brought you uplifting stories like Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and The Fountain. To say the journey is steeped in downer moments would be an understatement. Yet, it’s the realism that makes this a compelling flick.

As for the wrestling stuff, its relatively interesting if you’re new to the world of tights and squared circles. There’s a very particular angle that’s presented, the world of brutal, hardcore, glass-shattering indy-wrestling and the brotherhood of grapplers who love and bleed by each other’s sides. Yes, this world exists and probably dominates the majority of those trying to break into the big-leagues. However, the flick also leaves the wrestling audience to inhabit the role of blood-thirsty, entertainment-hungry barbarians who care not of the men in tights, but only for the visual sensations they bring. Honestly, anything we find entertaining can fall into this type of narrow-scoped view: we don’t see all the pain and ailments from our football players, we don’t focus on the grueling world of dancers, we don’t even care about the animals from the circus. Painting the picture of “Christians-to-lions” atmosphere in the wrestling world is a bit overstated.

Overall, The Wrestler is a good flick. It’s not particularly astounding, but it is pretty good at getting you depressed about life. And we all know that’s a key for Oscar success. Mickey Rourke absolutely deserves consideration for some golden statues, and Marisa Tomei’s aging stripper is very good in a supporting role. But, don’t get yourself all worked up for an eye-opening tour-de-force, it’s not. It’s good enough, but it’s not great. Out of 20 stitches to mend a nasty gash on the back, The Wrestler wins with a clean pin of 15 stitches. Ram jam!