The Wrestler

I always watch these highly recommended films with a little bit of doubt. I've found often in the past that something that is superb, magnificent, stunning, unbelievable and all those other clichés that froth from the mouths of boring critics is often more disappointing than a McDonalds. You know the fuckers, the ones who will recommend anything that features a one armed Algerian fleeing to face his fears and face redemption spread over 4 hours and without subtitles but will for example think Romero is talent less. So when they start gushing about a movie I just wonder if its going to be just shite. For example I watched Monsters Ball a few years ago. 5star film that was. All round. No it fucking wasn't! It was fucking terrible. Halle Berry cried when she got that Oscar because she knew she was shit. What I'm trying to say is that it can be difficult to have an objective view on something when everyone is telling you how good it is.

So I saw The Wrestler and let me get this out of the way at the start.... Rourke is fucking phenomenal but we'll come to that in depth later. The Wrestler tells us the story of Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) an ageing Pro Wrestler who was once effectively "King Of The Ring". Still wrestling on the small circuit with up and coming wrestlers he is loved by all around him, except for the people he should be close to. Estranged from his daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood) and in a strange relationship with a single mother stripper Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) Randy is a man whose body is giving up on him and is starting to feel alone. As he tries to build a relationship with Cassidy and piece together the fractured remains of his broken body with an ever increasing diet of pills and steroids he tries to become the father to Stephanie that he never was.

Now this film is really fucking bleak. If you want to watch a film and feel good about life then watch a Rom Com. This is the MTV series Hogan Knows Best edited and directed by Tarentino. Everything about this film is depressing. I was really looking forward to Marisa Tomei shaking her sweet cheeks on celluoid but watching it I just felt dirty. Aronofsky directs with a closeness to the characters that makes them believable but also makes you wonder wether its sympathy or apathy for a man who had everything but threw it all  away.

This film isn't perfect by any means but to be honest it shouldn't be. It's meant to feel grimy and unpleasant. Its rumoured that Donkey Cock was originally in line to play Randy but thank fuck he didn't as the only thing that twat would maybe pull off in this film is the silly wig. Rourke has had more fucking rebirths than Madonna and I truly hope this is the film that makes him realise that he is a true talent and films like Diner and Angel Heart weren't a fluke. He plays Randy with a real conviction that comes across in every frame. I suggest everyone sees this to see a true powerhouse performance. Its going to be tough at the Oscars this year but I'm afraid I know the cunts who vote will probably give it to the kid who's in Slumdog Millionaire. Now that's a 5star film I know will be shite.

I think its only fair to mention that both Tomei and Wood are superb in their supporting roles and the array of actual wrestlers who play Randy's friends and opponents hold their own during their short screen time. This is a very fucking good film and I'm now a little fucking nervous that 2009 has started how 2008 began. There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men kicked that off and then it all went to shit. Aronofsky is doing Robocop next and I wish him luck because I fucking love the original and I will kill him in his own house if he fucks it up.

Rourke Fucking Rocks and So Does This Film out of 5

Comments

[Jimmy G]

Phew.

[Mr Fuck Off]

It is so so good, everyone should see it, Oscar for Rourke!

[drunkenmaster]

Fucking damn right. Rourke plays it to perfection.