Cynical Cinema Review: The Wrestler
Darren Aronofsky new movie, The Wrestler will punch you in the throat, bodyslam you and then top-rope-flying-headbutt your ass straight into next week. This is all possible because of some truly fantastic performances by Mickey Rourke, as 80’s Wrestling Superstar Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, Marisa Tomei as Cassidy, the aging stripper/mom, and Evan Rachel Wood as Randy’s estranged daughter, Stephanie. This movie is about as realistic as movies get; the cinematography by Maryse Alberti (Taxi to the Dark Side) is top-notch, the score by frequent Aronofsky collaborator Clint Mansell is haunting and effective, and the script by former Onion writer Robert D. Siegel is punchy, unpredicatble and heartfelt.
The story is initially very basic, but there are a few good twists thrown in too. Randy works as a stock guy during the week and wrestles the independent circuit on the weekend. His matches are usually given main event status, and in the locker room he’s treated as a god. It is during those brief minutes in the ring that Randy truly feels alive. Broke, locked out of his trailer and in declining health, Randy appears close to ruin at every turn. After a particularly brutal match, curtosey of a small promotion called Combat Zone Wrestling, Randy is left shattered, unsure of his place in the world.
He tries to make a real connection with Cassidy the stripper, and they develop a strange romance; but it seems doomed from the offset, because even if they aren’t in th strip club, Cassidy thinks of him as a paying customer. Eventually, with a little help from Cassidy, Randy attempts to reconcile his relatonship with his daughter; the only picture he has of her is about 8 years old, he obviously has been estranged from her for quite some time. When they do get together, their emotional bond leaps off the screen; when they fight, you feel it all the way to your toes. This is really powefull acting here, folks. Mickey Rourke has already won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for Best Actor.
I expect an Academy Award is likely, but you never know, he might get screwed. Marisa Tomei is great too; she brings a real depth to her stripper, making it easy to see the parallels between two people with used up bodies. Ms. Tomei is 44 now, and is looking better than ever. For some reason she keeps doing nude scenes (well, they were required for the part here… what with her being a stripper and all), but hell, she already has an Oscar (for ’92’s My Cousin Vinny) and was nominated for an Oscar for this role, so more power to her–so long as she isn’t whoring her body for good parts, good for her, at least she’s unapologetic about it and doesn’t try and get away with wearing a bikini as a “stripper” like one Jessica Alba, but perhaps I have said too much…
The Wrestler is like a punch to the gut. It’s gritty, engrossing, and entertaining. If you’re looking to have a real experience at the movies, open your eyes to The Wrestler. You can’t go wrong with this one; but don’t expect some uplifting ending about overcoming adversity, this isn’t some cookie-cutter inspirational bullshit. This is a real movie, with real actors, made by a really talented filmmaker.
Grade: A
