Great movie and birth of a new icon!

Rating: 8/10 (4 June 2009)

The Wrestler was a well-made movie appropriate for 2009, due to the lack of current interest in the wrestling business. This movie stimulated interest in the world of "pro" wrestling, mostly for older fans, due to its old school approach. Rourke and Tomei were an instant classic pair in the film world, reminding me of very few on-screen relationships, but mirroring many real-life relationships of the man chasing the woman. As a description to non-wrestling fans who are interested in seeing this, I would most comparably call it the "R" rated Rocky Balboa, but with a little less glamor and "Cinderella" effect. The violence is strong for a non-wrestling viewer, but infrequent, and only really strong during one match. Movie is well-paced but almost too slow for some. NOT an action flick! Once again, this is Rourke's definitive role, and it's only sad it had to come so late in his career, as he might have been on par with Stallone over the last 3 decades. 8/10!