Craving the Roar of the Crowd

Rating: 9/10 (19 December 2018)

The roar of the crowd is something that pro wrestler Randy "the Ram" craves, but decades past his prime, it is not nearly enough to pay the bills. Evicted from a trailer home, working long hours at a grocery deli counter, alienated from relatives and addicted to expensive and lethal cocktails of synthetic hormones, pain killers, alcohol and blow, Randy has one foot in the grave. When the inevitable heart attack finally comes, the Ram is warned to avoid any strenuous activity. Remarkably, Randy takes in stride what to him should be a death sentence. He sets his mind up to make amends with his estranged daughter, woo the woman of his dreams (a kind-hearted stripper in denial), and give up the sport he loves. As the Ram, Randy endures severe beatings, razor blade cuts and staple gun wounds all over his body, among lesser evils, but the real world just might be tougher than this.
A killer story, career-resurrecting performance by Mickey Rourke, and amazing support by Marisa Tomei (Randy's love interest), help make this film one of the most beloved sports films of all time. What happens to the Ram is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, for Randy is charming and likeable even as he wallows in well-deserved pain and ignominy. The film is colorful and beautiful in form, it flows well from one scene to the next, and each of the characters is recognizable, relevant, balanced, unpredictable and, unlike many sports films, closer to the all too human truth.