Pick #447
Dir. Darren Aronofsky · France, United States of America · English
An action movie on struggling with failure late in life, featuring a once-in-a-lifetime performance by Mickey Rourke
2008 Movie Drama, Romance
Our take
In 2008, legendary and controversial director Darren Aronofsky delivered yet another unforgettable allegory, starring Mickey Rourke as Randy “The Ram” Robinson, an aging professional wrestler long past his prime, who is struggling to retain a sense of identity, purpose, and dignity later in life. Rourke, who worked as a professional boxer in his 90s and, like his protagonist, almost hung his hat at the time the movie was shot, delivers a once-in-a-lifetime performance that rightly earned him a Golden Globe. Everybody talked about this movie when it came out! Marisa Tomei’s performance, who plays the mid-40s stripper The Ram pursues a serious relationship with, was also deemed iconic by some critics. Shot on 16mm film, The Wrestler’s cinematography, like its acting, feels incredibly raw, intimate, and realistic. It is essentially about bouncing back, making amends, and growing old and features acting performances that will be remembered for a long time. One for the books!
Streaming arrival
What it won
Oscars
2 noms
Venice
1 win
Golden Globes
3 noms
BAFTA
1 win · 1 nom
SAG Awards
1 nom
Spirit Awards
3 wins
WGA
1 nom
Nat. Board of Review
1 win
NYFCC
2 noms
LAFCA
1 nom
The story
Aging wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson is long past his prime but still ready and rarin' to go on the pro-wrestling circuit. After a particularly brutal beating, however, Randy hangs up his tights, pursues a serious relationship with a long-in-the-tooth stripper, and tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter. But he can't resist the lure of the ring and readies himself for a comeback.
Elsewhere
"What Rourke offers us, in short, is not just a comeback performance but something much rarer: a rounded, raddled portrait of a good man."
— Anthony Lane
"This is a case where an actor makes the difference."
— David Edelstein
The details
An excellent film! Rouke perfectly portrays the action, violence and emotions that come with his characters. Great script too, never boring.