The Wrestler

There are comebacks and then there are Comebacks. Some say John Travolta’s career got a reboot when he did Pulp Fiction. Of course, he then proceeded to piss away that advantage by choosing to do a whole string of shitty movies. Mickey Rourke saw a minor comeback in playing Marv in Sin City, but that’s nothing compared to what he pulls off here.

Rourke plays the titular professional wrestler, a big hulk of a man called Randy “The Ram” Robinson. Randy used to be hugely popular and successful in the 80s, but now he’s getting old. His body is broken from all the abuse it’s taken over the years, both by his opponents in the ring and by the many drugs he keeps taking in an effort to stay fit. He doesn’t want to be washed up; wrestling is the only thing he knows how to do.

It’s a simple story, in many ways, of a broken man who’s trying desperately to connect with the world around him. He has a daughter (Evan Rachel Wood), from whom he is estranged. She doesn’t want to hear from him, yet he makes an effort to make amends after he has a heart-attack and comes to the realisation that he might be dying. Meanwhile, he’s trying to strike up a relationship with an exotic dancer (Marisa Tomei), who is not sure what she wants to do with her life. She’s getting on in years, too, and has a young son to take of.

The bottom line is that Ram is alone in this world. He has worked harder than most, yet he has nothing to show for it. To make ends meet, he works extra at a grocery store, but what he really wants to do is get back in the ring.

Of course, much of the comeback angle mirrors Rourke’s own career, something that didn’t slip by Aronofsky unnoticed. Rumour has it he refused to do this movie unless he could have Rourke in the lead. Good on you, Darren. Rumours even say that he somewhat promised Rourke he was going to drag an Oscar nomination out of him, something he might very well pull off.

I can not heap enough praise on Mickey Rourke here. The camera rarely leaves his face, and you can almost feel his pain. His portrayal is human, flawed, electric, and humourous. The scenes he shares with Tomei and Wood are all impressive, with a subtle beauty in Ram’s efforts to make things work with both of these women. One scene especially, between father and daughter, stuck with me. It’s a scene in which Rourke is trying to explain to her how sorry he is. “I deserve to be alone, but I don’t want you to hate me.” It’s a thing of beauty and such a great scene, I wanted it to go on forever.

Darren Aronofsky directs with an assured hand, and evokes a gritty atmosphere with his intimate camerawork and choice of locations (such as Randy’s home, a trailer-park in New Jersey). Throughout much of the film, the camera follows Randy around, from the back, showing us the world as he sees it. This works especially well in the beginning of the movie, where we don’t see Rourke’s lined face until Aronofsky decides to show it to us.

I warmly recommend this film, and if it can overcome some of its obstacles (subject matter, Rourke’s reputation) it might just get a wider release. I found this movie to be completely unpretentious, deeply touching, and surprisingly funny. Go see it if you get a chance.

Welcome back, Mickey.