Seeing actors make a Hollywood comeback is always impressive (Robert Downey, Jr., Marlon Brando). One of the most recent and stunning is Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler.Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Rourke) is a wrestler who was an icon in the 1980's that has burned out. After a charity match, he suffers a heart attack. He's told the stress of wrestling could kill him, so he retires. But he musts resist temptation of returning to the ring.
Remember the Oscar race when Rourke was up for Best Actor? He was one of the main frontrunners, but his main competition was Sean Penn. You gotta admit it was hard to predict which of the two would win (Penn ended up winning). Both gave great performances, but I can't chose which one is better.
It's funny once you think of it. Back in the 1980's, Rourke was dubbed "the next Brando". The next decade he would have his career dwindle and have his personal life be more exposed, much like Brando. Then the decade after that, Rourke would make the biggest comeback since Brando in The Godfather.
Along with Rourke, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood give great performances. Darren Aronofsky directs the grittiest sports movie since Raging Bull. The movie is raw and edgy, but not for the squeamish (well, what do you expect from the director of Requiem for a Dream?). Hands down, one of the best movies of the last decade.
My Rating: *****
Glad to hear you're so high on this film, as am I. I can't wait to see "Black Swan," and I've been particularly intrigued to hear how Aronofsky's newest film has a lot of parallels to "The Wrestler."
ReplyDeleteLoved this. Rourke's performance is perhaps the best of his career.
ReplyDeleteI loved this movie. Especially since I grew up watching professional wrestling. I loved the scenes where the performer's were planning their matches. That's exactly how I always pictured it.
ReplyDeleteAronofsky is one of my favorite directors and this movie was another great movie he took out of his hat. I'm so looking forward to see Black Swan, I've read some reviews from 2010 Venice Film Festival and everyone loved it. Have you seen Pi?
ReplyDeleteAronofsky got so much well-deserved praise for this film that one forgets how well the writing was by Siegel. He's now a director himself with Big Fan. Not as good as The Wrestler but a dark dramady that shouldn't be missed.
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