Definitely Worth Seeing

Rating: 8/10 (30 January 2009)

Personally, when I saw Darren Aronofsky was in the making of a new movie, I knew it was going to be good. He is a virtuoso in the art of film-making. I figured this movie was going to be similar to his emotion-driven art films. It was actually the exact opposite. This movie was as real as it looks. Every single line is made to be real and not clichéd or exaggerated. Now as far as the acting goes, Mickey Rourke definitely stole the show. For me, his performance made the movie great. I wanted to see this movie when I first read about it one year ago, and it was as gritty and as true to life as I envisioned it. Marisa Tomei did well acting but Hollywood has a pact that if the actress is nude most of the movie, she would get nominated. (I.e. Halle Berry and Diane Lane) Evan Rachel Wood played a convincing tormented daughter, and her acting definitely deserved some Oscar buzz. The ending was necessary and subsequently enough, it made the movie. Hardcore Aronofsky fans won't see his artsy style forte in this movie; but they will see the truth and emotion-driven honesty that makes his movies great. As for everyday moviegoers, its an important movie in modern cinema and shouldn't be missed.