Amazing

Rating: 10/10 (17 January 2009)

This is a simple story, a snapshot of the tail end of a wrestlers life. Anyone who has ever seen wrestling comes to know that it is entertainment, but to deny the punishment that wrestlers take by calling it fake is a disservice. I grew up in the wrestling heartland of Alberta Canada where the likes of the Chris Benoit, the Hart brothers, Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid, Andre the Giant and countless others plied their trade. I watched them religiously as a kid and heard countless stories of the gypsy like existence of these performers, touring in vans, driving from one small town to the next, putting on the show.
This film is simply gripping, driven by Mickey Rourke's heartfelt performance. He captures the rugged toughness of a wrestler and gives us a glimpse at the heart of a man clinging to glory as age and hard living rob him of his vitality. The story is simple and its simplicity makes it all the more powerful. The recent deaths of many of the wrestling heroes of my youth have given me plenty to think about and this film adds a little bit more.
The Wrestler is a picture of the human side of a hero, with character flaws and plenty of scars, superbly acted and directed, a must see for any fan of wrestling or anyone who wants a glimpse of a wrestlers life. It also gets my vote for the best movie of 2008.