watch out for 'Ram Jam'

Rating: 8/10 (18 January 2009)

Randy 'The Ram' Robinson is a professional wrestler who had the glorious history 20 years ago. He is now alone, aged & struggling with his bypassed weak heart & advised by Doctor not to wrestle any more. He has only one close friend in form of a stripper. The movie is all about the character study of Randy the wrestler. Mickey Rourke has done superb method act here, same in the league of De'Niro in 'Raging Bull' & gained about 35 pounds of muscle to play Randy & looks like a professional aged wrestler. Rourke remains an under achiever actor for years & worked in lot of B grade films but in this film he faced the camera with striking performance & its worth to watch him. No wonder if get Oscar trophy this year after winning Golden Globe. Although Marisa Tomei displayed lot of nudity here in her stripper role, she very well maintained the dignity of her character.
Darren Aronofsky is a director who gave some of the finest character study to cinema created the atmosphere that leaves the audience feeling for old & depressed Rourke's character. Compared to Aronofsky's earlier complex films, this one is plain straight screenplay mainly shot with hand held camera & has a gritty look of watching a documentary drama. The film has certain do not miss scenes- like a moving camera shot on handicap wrestlers struggling to get money through fan following photo sessions or the confession speech of Rourke to his daughter or the climactic scene when he's on ring telling audience his real family. The film is getting popularity & IMDb ranking of 50 is proof of it.
Watch it for an underdog actor who finally made it just like his character of the film Randy 'The Ram'.
Ratings-8/10