the toughest battles wait outside the ring

Rating: 8/10 (27 January 2009)

The year may have just begun, but I am going to put my neck out and say that I may have already seen the best 09' has to offer. The best films are the one's where you sit watching and you genuinely care what is going to happen to the people in the film. You feel like you are looking at events in at the life of someone you know or are rooting for. The Wrestler is one of those movies. Quite simply, it is a touching, phenomenal look at a very troubled life. Non-wrestling fans DO NOT be put off, this is a movie everyone should see. Randy ''The Ram'' Robinson had it all as a wrestler in the 80's. He was at the very pinnacle of sports entertainment and was adored by wrestling fans world wide. The start of the movie outlines this with some of the highlights of Randy's career shown in magazine cut outs and photos. One of the aspects I enjoyed most about the movie was the way it portrayed the sport of wrestling. What annoys me is that a lot of people consider wrestling just to be costumes and 'fake' punches, but it's a lot more than that, and I hope after seeing this movie you'll agree. The present day, is a different story for The Ram. Twenty years later, and Randy is working in the Independent Wrestling World, with no money, relationship problems, a drug habit, and he has just been evicted from his trailer. Mickey Rourke, who is known to have his own troubled life, was probably made for this role, and his performance is dare say Oscar worthy. The film at times is like watching a real life documentary; such is the scale of the performance from Rourke. The toughest battle in the life of Robinson is one more severe than anything he has ever faced in the ring, his attempt at reconciling with his daughter. So after a near fatal heart attack, with the help of single mother/stripper Cassidy (Marissa Tomei), Randy bids to win back the trust of Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood), who has shut her father out of her life. The Wrestler was made with a small budget, but with a very big heart. Touching story, terrific performances, it's a movie you'll be happy to have a rematch with again and again.