Love. Pain. Glory (The Wrestler (DVD))

Member Name: midpikyrozziy

Product:	The Wrestler (DVD)
Date:	08/04/09 (178 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant acting and directing, great character study, phenomenal ending

Disadvantages: Not enough happening in the plot for it to be 'great'

THE WRESTLER

Intro:
The role of Randy 'the Ram' Robinson originally belonged to Nicholas Cage, but he quit the job because he didn't think he'd have enough time to get into the shape of a steroid-pumped wrestler. Well thank the Lord that Cage quit, because, without wanting to slate Cage's acting ability, he could have never commanded the role at the same standard Rourke did.up The film was a huge hit, and although it didn't win any Oscars it was nominated for two. It also gained another 30 wins and 18 nominations, which goes to show what a great film it is. I managed to watch this at the cinema a while back, and it was worth every bit of my entrance fee (although it's still ridiculously high).

Plot:
Robin Ramzinski, or Randy 'the Ram' Robinson as he is known to his many fans, is a professional wrestler who was huge in the 1980s, but now is way past his prime and only wrestles for various independent wrestling promotions in Elizabeth, New Jersey. After one of these shows, a promoter proposes a rematch against Randy's most notable opponent 'The Ayatollah', whom he had fought 20 years previously in his final match, which drew a sell-out crowd to Madison Square Gardens.Randy is a broken man, seeming to resonate failure everywhere he goes. He goes home but is locked out of his trailer because he didn't pay the rent. He works part-time at a supermarket stacking boxes and performs to tiny crowds to pay his way through a life. His daughter has abandoned him for being a terrible father. His only bright spark in life is the aging stripper Pam (stage-named Cassidy) who he has taken a liking too. Far from the high life he was enjoying 20 years ago.

But he now has something to aim for, this new match which could elevate him back to the top, and he could enjoy that same life once more. He needs to work hard, and begins a tough program of steroid use and self-tanning to get back the appearance he had at his peak. He also gets in a bit of wrestling practice, and fights a brutal 'hardcore match' against Necro Butcher.
It's a particularly violent affair, where Randy and his opponent use various weapons on each other, including thumbtacks, barbed wire, glass and staple guns. Randy suffers some deep cuts and gashes, and although he doesn't seem too affected in the match, he has a heart attack when being treated for his wounds, and collapses. He's subsequently told by a doctor that his much weaker heart will not support any more steroid use, or even wrestling.

Without the adrenaline and hope of wrestling, Randy is understandably disappointed, but he uses the opportunity to try and regain the trust of his daughter Stephanie, and to also try and romantically pursue Pam. However, after one or two disappointments, Randy finds himself at his lowest point ever. Can he win over the only two important things he has left in life, or will he just fade away and die? Watch the movie to find out....

Acting:
Mickey Rourke as Randy 'the Ram' Robinson:
In short, Mickey Rourke is phenomenal as Randy. It has been said that there are distinct real-life parallels between Rourke and Randy, in that Rourke himself is seen to be quite temperamental, and his face bears the scars of real-life amateur boxing, and some unsuccessful plastic surgery jobs. Similarly, this is seen to be Rourke's big comeback, just as Randy himself was spearheading his own comeback.

The end result is sensational. Rourke completely captures the role with his gritty resilience and really gives it all to the role. He really looks the picture of a broken man, completely losing it at every disappointment. Without being too soppy, Mickey Rourke shows us that Randy just wants to be loved. He also compliments the more physical elements of the role, giving his own blood, sweat, and tears to it.
When he was originally cast by director Darren Aronofsky, producers and financiers were rather disgruntled and undecided as to whether they should be funding this film. However, few could argue with the end result, Mickey Rourke is terrific. He was very pessimistic about his chances of an Oscar because he had previously insulted the whole Hollywood industry, and indeed he lost out to Sean Penn. Personally though I don't think this had anything to do with any feud, Sean Penn was the better actor, but Mickey Rourke is still phenomenal.

Marisa Tomei as Cassidy:
Marisa Tomei is also brilliant as the stripper Cassidy. Cassidy also shares some parallels with Randy, in that at her peak she could certainly deliver the goods, but now faces the prospects of growing old and having to see people all around her who are much younger and better than her.

It's a fairly obvious and stereotypical role, in that 'you expect her to be a crack addict because she's a stripper but she's actually quite nice', but Marisa Tomei, who was fairly unheard of before the film, manages to add much more to the role, the perfect lady to be cast alongside Rourke.

Evan Rachel Wood as Stephanie:
Evan Rachel Wood makes up the trio of brilliant acting performances in this film, starring as Randy's estranged daughter Stephanie, who has abandoned him after she feels that he hasn't been there for her when she needed to turn from him.Wood herself described the role as 'paid therapy' as she was actually having a very strained relationship with her own father, Ira David Wood. She manages to portray this feeling of ostracization and distant feelings towards her father in her scenes with Randy, and these scenes are some of the rawest, most brilliant, of the whole film.

Directing:
Darren Aronofsky shows his true class and diversity here. Perhaps best known for his directing in such films as 'Requiem for a dream' and 'The Fountain', which are quite artsy and creative films, Aronofsky completely reverts his directing skills with this down-to-earth, gritty, thriller. He really manages to bring about a real sense of bleak emptiness to the film, as Randy tries to make his life complete again. The whole film is depressing and you can really feel the vast absence in Randy's life, and because we can relate so easily to Randy, the film becomes much more emotional for us.

Aronofsky also chose to keep the film fairly low-budget, which works brilliantly. Various portions are shot on hand-held cameras which gives the film it's grainy, gritty backbone. He also presents everything in a very frank and up front style, which fits in perfectly with the film. Another positive is the way he portrays the wrestling world as a whole - unglamorous, corrupt, and stupidly physically demanding. Aronofsky's casting was also very effective, which is the main reason the film was such a success.

My thoughts:
I really liked this film. The plot may be a bit lacking in thrills, but it's an absolutely brilliant character study, showing us the rises and falls of Randy 'the Ram' Robinson in his desperate hunt for re-acceptance. The whole film focuses mainly on the three characters I've mentioned, and all are interesting and well-developed, which helps to keep the plot fresh and enjoyable.

It's a similar film to Rocky Balboa, in that a retired sports star goes for one last hurrah as they struggle to function in a world where they're no longer at the top of their game. However, where Rocky Balboa seemed more like a simple trip down memory lane, The Wrestler seems so much more real and intense, ticking all the boxes where Rocky failed.
If I had to criticize this film, the one thing I'd say is that not enough actually happens for the film to become a classic. But it's a real-life character study and designed to be very realistic, and it succeeds in all these areas to the absolute maximum it can. It's hard to watch this film and not be instantly drawn in by the engaging screenplay and terrific characters.

The 80s soundtrack is nice and adds to the reminiscence and 'looking back to the golden years' that Randy feels. As I previously said, the directing is flawless, and the whole crew do a great job in making the film an absolute gem.
I'd recommend this film to anyone over the age of 15, as it's a terrific story brilliantly told by a great set of actors. What more could you want from a film! It's fast-paced, clever, and definitely worth the watch. And without wanting to spoil anything, the ending is a simply fantastic breathtaking finale, and rounds off the whole film outstandingly.

Product information:
Release date - 2008
Running time - 111 minutes
Certification - UK 15 / USA R
Price - £11.98 (www.amazon.co.uk)
DVD extras - Not stated, will probably be director's and actor's commentary, deleted scenes, behind the scenes etc

Summary: A definite must-watch for any film lover