A True Work of Genius

Rating: 9/10 (5 May 2009)

This Aronofsky movie was almost perfect-it is hard to imagine any scene being left out. From the opening frame to the end, I was mesmerized by the story of Randy "The Ram" Robinson. By the time we meet him, Randy is wearing a hearing aid and barely eking out an existence from wrestling--we are witnessing the tail-end of his career, and possibly his life. When he has a heart attack, he realizes how alone he is and he tries to reach out to people he cares about, like a local stripper and his daughter. The cinematography in this film was fantastic, as each frame emphasizes just how alone Randy is---the scene where he leaves the hospital and goes out to the empty parking lot to get his van is a great example. After his heart attack, Randy realizes he can no longer wrestle and he tries to get a normal job and assimilate back into the non-wrestling world, but he quickly realizes that the only place he really matters to anyone is in the ring--it is there that he feels truly appreciated and loved by his fans. Mickey Rourke has a truthfully brilliant performance in this film and one can easily see the parallels to his own acting career and life. Go rent this film immediately--you will not regret it.