Who doesn't love a comeback story? In the case of The Wrestler it's not just the character of Randy "The Ram" Robinson, but the real life turmoil of Mickey Rourke.
I never was a huge wrestling fan. I called it fake, I wasn't ammused and thought that wrestlers were big gruntting idiots. The movie reassured my thinking and it was done with scincerity and a remarkable performance by Rourke.
Randy is a washed up pro wrestler, realizing outside the ring he has little to live for. His job at a grocery store is less then steller, his daughter wants nothing to do with him and his only chance at romance is at the local strip club. The day's of headlining events, selling out arenas and being athletically available have ended.
After suffering a heart attack after a very rough and cover-your-eyes scene, Randy is informed he better retire. Moving up to deli worker at the grocery store, enjoying his time with stripper Pam(Marisa Tomei) and taking steps to reconcile with his daughter(Evan Rachel Wood) he seems consistently happy.
However, after a few tense moments with Pam at the strip club and Randy's desire to be with the stripper. Pam tries to expresses that she won't mix her personal life with what happens in the strip club. Randy goes on a rampage of drugs, drinking and sex. This leads to him creating another tense moment between him and his daughter. All of this, plus many other touching sences, push him back into the ring. I won't ruin the end. It's probably some what predictable but at this point you don't care as long as we see Randy rise again.
I'll will be completely honest I had never seen any work done by Rourke in the past. Or if I had, I don't remember. It's hard for me to separate Mickey as Mickey and Mickey as Randy. Their lives are very similar. But maybe that is what makes this performance so pitch perfect? You can't help but see the dedication he took in making sure this wasn't a role people would forget and come Oscar night I'm sure they won't. Marisa Tomei is also very revealing in her role, more so then I anticipated. She plays the role with a sympathetic approach, even for a stripper.
The Wrestler is movie all men will enjoy. That's not to say women will hate it or even dislike it, but it's not a date movie, a romance comedy or even romantic at all. However, it's the pure pleasure of rooting for a man and an over aged stripper who only know how to be accepted by their audience and the road they take to find what they need to move on.
STILL IN THEATERS
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