Where Do We Turn When the Tools of Our Trade Quit on Us?

Rating: 8/10 (19 March 2012)

Aronofsky's glimpse into the grim reality of retirement in pro wrestling is a tough, fair rumination on a physically unforgiving industry. Not as suicidally dark as Requiem for a Dream, but it doesn't need to be - where Requiem was about a self-destructive quest for the taste of an elusive high, The Wrestler is more interested in the shattered figure trying to cope with the repercussions of that lifestyle. Mickey Rourke nails the role of Randy "The Ram" Robinson, as advertised; the conflicting emotions of hope, guilt, desperation and cheap indulgence that flash across his face speak volumes when the character has very little to say for himself. Marissa Tomei is nicely cast as his counterpart, a stripper running into identical problems; aging in an industry that relies almost exclusively on one's superficial gifts. I didn't care for the ambiguous ending and found the in-ring scenes to be jumpy and weak, but loved the rich characterization, deep respect for the subject and long, unspoken history that precedes the events of the film.