The Wrestler

Rating: 9/10 (14 June 2009)

Mickey Rourke turned away from acting to become a pro-boxer, which is what changed his face, and after almost a decade of bad press, he returned to acting with Sin City. He needed another big break with a leading role, and this sports drama from director Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream) was the perfect choice. Basically Randy 'The Ram' Robinson (BAFTA and Golden Globe, and Oscar nominated Rourke) is a successful wrestler, but after a near-fatal heart attack, the doctor says that his next match could be his last. After deciding to retire, Randy has got a job in a supermarket, hanging out with his stripper friend Pam 'Cassidy' (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Marisa Tomei) and trying to rekindle his relationship with teenage daughter Stephanie (Thirteen's Evan Rachel Wood). After Pam and Stephanie reject him, and he loses his patience in his job, Randy decides to go back into the ring for his fans and a big rematch against The Ayatollah (Ernest Miller), even knowing he may die. Also starring Mark Margolis as Lenny, Todd Barry as Wayne, Wass Stevens as Nick Volpe, Judah Friedlander as Scott Brumberg, Dylan Keith Summers as Necro Butcher and Tommy Farra as Tommy Rotten. Sean Penn won the Oscar for Milk, and while his good, I think it would have made more sense that Rourke won, after getting the other two big awards. He was brilliant as the leading character, a fantastic comeback, Tomei and Wood are great support, it is a great story, and the wrestling scenes are engaging, a fantastic film. It won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song for Bruce Springsteen's title song. Very good!