Heartfelt, powerful, and with a knockout performance by Mickey Rourke.

Rating: 10/10 (10 January 2009)

I consider myself extremely lucky to have taken the time to watch "The Wrestler". It's a deeply heartfelt and powerful tale about the personal life of an aging athlete and how he balances his profession with his relations.
In case you didn't know, the movie is about Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a professional wrestler who is now past his prime, and works in the independent circuit. With a daughter who hates him and a bad day job, Randy handles his life outside wrestling while dealing with his deteriorating health.
The movie deals with real human drama about relationships, the personal problems faced by a glossy wrestler and how his real life is anything but. From daughter issues to love life to fulfilling fan expectations, the screenplay tackles these with brilliance and provides insight into an athlete's life. The ending is especially powerful and nails the theme of the movie into the ground.
Darren Aronofsky does a great job directing the movie. The camera looks raw and the angles follow Rourke around, which helps look into the minute details of his life. The matches are professionally shot, and add to the glamor of the sport.
The real gem here is the knockout performance of Mickey Rourke. Taking on a hard role, he provides the believability and emotion to the character and takes the intensity to a whole new level. Marisa Tomei plays her part brilliantly, also supported by Evan Rachel Wood in a great performance.
Overall, do not miss "The Wrestler". It's one of the best films of 2008 and I wish Rourke best of luck in the future.