As tough and gritty as the subject it portrays.

Rating: 9/10 (6 February 2009)

Wrestling has always seemed a bit of a bother to me with no real sense of direction or purpose whenever I accidentally catch a glance of it while flipping channels. Here, in Darren Aronofsky's powerful and effective film tribute, I can say with sincerity that I have grown to somewhat appreciate the sacrifice and dedication these guys go through, despite the shear ridiculousness of it all.
In what is assuredly one of the finest performances of this or any other year, Mickey Rourke, the big, bold and intimidating actor best known for cheap bits in dirty and skanky low-budget flicks, breathes life into the body of Randy "The Ram" Robinson, an aging wrestler whose once-bright star from the 1980s flickered out some time ago. Yet, here he is, in the opening scene, in a grade school classroom slowly unwrapping is beat-up body for chicken feed. His personal life is just as dismal with the only real relationship he can experience being that with an over-the-hill, non committed stripper Cassidy, played with remarkable reflection and sincerity by the wonderful Marisa Tomei. She is ready to quit yet can't seem to truly walk away from a job that is thankless and depraving at the same time. The other strained but faint relationship is that with Randy and his estranged daughter Stephanie, in maybe the best performance by Evan Rachel Wood. She is a self-made young woman, completely ready to face the world on her own as she grew up that way. Then, her father comes back into her life and she is angry, confused and unsure of how to deal with this situation.
To wrap this review up, I must conclude by saying that Mickey Rourke will win you over with this performance as will Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood. the intimate scenes are by far more gripping and intense than the wrestling scenes. These still are completely immersible and build for one great climactic moment. All in all this is a tough and gritty story about a tough and gritty man who lives for the thrill of the moment and has to reconcile with the fact that this may be done . Yes, it is a cliché story, but when it is so well-handled by Aronofsky and the three lead actors are mesmerizing, you can't help but be moved and astounded.