Wrestling with life

Rating: 8/10 (17 January 2010)

The Wrestler is a vivid, down to earth and deeply personal tale that is expertly crafted and directed without the need for elaborate or superficial trickery to provide its entertainment.
The film provides an inner glance into the world of wrestling without ever being overwrought with its subject matter. It conveys the love and deep affection of the wrestling fraternity and their sheer dedication and willingness to be physically punished for the art.
We are provided with the insight into the world of wrestling through Randy 'The Ram' Robinson. Randy a once revered wrestler is seeing out his last remaining days on the wrestling circuit in high school gyms and community centres, signing autographs to die-hard fans who still hold a high respect for the man. He carries physical scars of his wrestling experiences, and reminisces passionately about their inflictions. It is clear that Randy is submerged by his life as a wrestler, his walls are layered with posters and memorabilia of his time in the spotlight. The respect that the wrestling fraternity have for Randy as he turns up for these shows is perceptible, and this provides his motivation to continue his art and to push his aging body to extremes.
Into this equation is Cassidy an aging stripper played heartfelt and excellently by Marisa Tomei who Randy has visited, we must surmise on a number of occasions. Cassidy shares the same estrangement from her work, she is no longer the beauty that she once was and like Randy it has come to a chapter in her life where she fears the unknown, the possibility of being alone and away from everything she knows.
You will not find a more pitch-perfect performance than that of Mickey Rourke who effortlessly brings Randy to life with his staggering ability to convey his frustrations and motivations through physical and emotional trajectory. You believe in Randy's journey, his abiding attachment to the only thing he knows wrestling, and his efforts to seek a life away from its addictive allure.
Darren Aronofsky has produced a film of heartache and real engagement. The film touches the fear we all have of loneliness and resonates passionately without ever seeking a superficial spin much to its credibility, providing a potent and passionate film.