Rourke can carry a film with believability

Rating: 8/10 (3 June 2013)

Professional wrestling. Fake. It is about putting on a show between a good guy and a bad guy. The bad guy often cheats and seems to have the upper hand, but the good guy comes in and scores a victory. The hero is then showered with cheers and applause. Randy "the Ram" (Mickey Rourke) is such a hero. What's real about professional wrestling is the event and glory that gets both the wrestlers' and fans' hearts' racing. So is the years and injuries. Randy "the Ram" has been a pro wrestler for nearly 25 years and his age and body is finally catching up to him.
The real reality for Randy is that he is past his prime. The film centers on this harsh aspect as well as the struggles he faces outside of the ring. These include trying to build a relationship with his estranged daughter (Rachel Evan Wood), working part-time at a super-market under an unwelcoming boss (Todd Barry), and seeking a friendship with a stripper (Marisa Tomei). To sum up, Randy is quite a lonely man. His only real enjoyment in life is in the ring. For him, that is his reality. This perspective in the story is what makes "The Wrestler" a good movie. As the viewer, we get to understand Randy, his motives, his pains, and his desires.
The success of such a character is clearly through Rourke's performance. Any person can look up Rourke's past life and see that it strongly reflects the character he plays. No doubt this works in his favor. He delivers a fine, honest, subtle, yet real performance. He lives and breathes as Randy on camera (and probably a bit off-camera). That is truly admirable of an actor, and not many can do it so truthfully.
Marisa Tomei is the other person who glimmers in the movie. Her character is not so much different than Randy. She is reaching the end of her years for her profession as a stripper and she needs to move on. Unlike Randy, she has reasons and desires to press on to other things after wards. Randy has to live in the moment like a true showman. The interaction between both actors on-camera is fascinating to watch. We get to see them play characters that feel real and down-to-earth. They have excellent chemistry and mesh a unique friendship throughout the movie.
The use of hand-held camera work adds authenticity to the film, giving that documentary feel. Unfortunately, this leads to some badly lit night scenes that go on longer than necessary. Overall, Arrenofsky has made a very good movie with wisely chosen actors. I'm not sure if Rourke will ever play a character to the caliber he has done with "The Wrestler" again, but he has proved that he can carry a film with stark believability.