Compelling

Rating: 8/10 (2 February 2011)

The Wrestler tells the story of a man who is past his prime and facing the consequences of his past decisions. He is alone, friendless, and without much to look forward to. He strives for redemption, attempting reconciliation with his estranged daughter and building a meaningful relationship with an ageing stripper. When he fails at both, he returns to the only place where he is accepted, which will ultimately destroy him.
Yes, this review contains spoilers, but I don't think it spoils anything. The narrative arc in the movie is certainly worthy of reflection. It applies to much outside the world of wrestling. We can contrast the Ram's situation with Pam's; she too is facing the twilight of her livelihood, but she has a plan and is working at it. We can contemplate the self-destructive nature of people. And yet, even if you read the script front to back, it's still well worth watching this movie, which succeeds all the more on the strength of the acting. Much has been said about Mickey Rourke's performance, and rightfully so, but I thought all three leads gave convincing performances.
David Simon has stated that the main character of the Wire is the city of Baltimore. I would be remiss not to mention the other lead character in this movie, the industry of professional wrestling. Many people have written that you don't even need to like wrestling to enjoy this movie. They are right. And some have said that you could substitute the experiences of the Ram for those of someone in another line of work and it would be equivalent. They are partially right. But for me, part of what makes this movie hard to watch, but impossible to turn away from, is the portrayal of an industry filled with examples of people dying well before their time, very often of heart attacks or overdoses relating to drug and alcohol abuse, the inevitable toll of years of physical sacrifice and inadequate support. One of the most poignant scenes in the movie involves the Ram at a fan meet-and-greet in a legion hall. He looks around and sees how the other old wrestlers present have canes and other reminders of their infirmity. And they are the "lucky" ones who made it. And this is what they are reduced to, signing autographs and selling merchandise for a few bucks to whoever will still come by, out of loyalty or curiosity.
This is a haunting movie. It's not just because of Rourke, who is amazing. Rourke makes it better than it would have been, but the story is the platform that makes such a performance possible. This one's going to stay with me for a while.