Masterpiece

Rating: Null/10 (25 January 2009)

Wrestler, The (2008)
**** (out of 4)
Heartbreaking drama about a worn out, broken down wrestler (Mickey Rourke) who suffers a heart attack and is forced to retire from the only thing he knows. Desperate and alone he tries to start up a relationship with a stripper (Marisa Tomei) and tries to reconnect with the daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) he turned his back on years earlier. Expectations are a very funny thing because I walked into this movie expecting a great performance by Rourke but in a decent movie with a subject we've seen countless times before. Those were my expectations but I walked out of the theater as if I had been born again but not too many movies have ever hit me as hard as this one. It's certainly takes my top spot for the best movie of 2008 but, and I hate jumping to conclusions, it also manages to be one of the best I've seen. Yes, I hate throwing praise on a new movie because only time will tell how much it holds up but again, I've never really walked out of a movie like I did here. I was emotionally worn out, emotionally heartbroken and I couldn't get my mind off of Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, Rourke's broken down character. We've seen movies before about losers wanting to get one more chance but never quite like this one and a lot of that credit has to go to Rourke but also Aronofsky's brilliant screenplay and direction.
As for Rourke, this is much more than just a comeback performance because I'd go even further in saying that this is a performance for all time. Again, I expected a great performance going into the film because of all the hype around it but I never expected how brilliant and touching he would be. Rourke's performance has the ability to break your heart with a simple smile or frown. As soon as Rourke walks on the screen you see him as this character, warts and all. His character is ugly, his life his ugly yet you can't help but put him in your heart and care for his future. There's a scene where Rourke begins to tell his highlights to the stripper and we see how pathetic he is. There's a scene where he tries to reconnect with his daughter and we see him desperation. We get a charming scene of him trying a new job when he thinks his life is about to change and we smile because we hope something good is about to happen. Rourke is so magnificent in this film that it's very hard to believe you're watching an actor and not a real person.
As much praise as Rourke is rightfully getting, much praise has to go to the supporting women in the film. Tomei has always been underrated and has delivered a nice career since picking up an Oscar for My Cousin Vinny. As with Rourke, the screenplay allows Tomei to jump into this character and we get to see her ugliness as well as her desperation. Basically we have two characters hoping for something better yet both seem to realize that they are who they are and perhaps life isn't going to give them any breaks. Seeing the two of them working together was like listening to beautiful music because to two play so well off of each others characters. Even Rachel Wood is one I haven't seen too much of and she only has a few scenes here but she too is very impressive. The rage and anger she displays is mighty emotional and hard hitting.
I'm sure the title is going to keep some people away because they'll say they don't want to watch a movie about a wrestler but that's a shame. Calling this a wrestling picture would be like saying The Shawshank Redemption was nothing but a prison picture or that Rocky was nothing more than a boxing movie. The subject really doesn't matter because of the heart of the story is with its characters and I really hope people will walk into this movie. I'm not much of a fan of wrestling but I must admit that I've gained a lot more respect for them after watching this movie. Having known that the fights were staged and fixed, I never really payed them no credit but after watching this movie and the abuse they take they have my highest respect. They also have my deepest sadness for how many of their lives end up.
In closing, perhaps the movie won't hit people like it did me. Perhaps this is just one of those movies that a person connects with on so many levels that it's rather scary. I don't think there's any debate about Rourke's performance as he's being praised left and right but to me this movie is so much more than just a comeback picture. The balls of this film and its main character are probably a lot like the real life of Rourke and perhaps that's where some of the magic comes from. Whatever the reason, and I hate to sound melodramatic, this film hit me like very few do. Even if someone doesn't get hit as hard as I did, I'm sure people will at least respect this fine film.