Mickey Rourke’s spectacular comeback in ‘The Wrestler’

The Wrestler is not a happy film. Or one with much action, or much of a plot. There’s no big pay-off at the end, no twist or happy ending. But there’s so much that it offers in between. Not only is is the best film of 2008, its one of the best of the decade.

Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson (Rourke) was the next big thing in wrestling. 2o or so years ago, he seemed destined for greatness. Then, he lost a match, and lost it all. 2o years later, he lives in a trailer park. He’s lucky to have a job at the grocery store. He wrestles in New Jersey community centers, filled only by die-hard fans. He clings to any fragment of fame that he had all these years ago. His daughter despises him and haven’t spoken to him in years. A friendship with a single mother/dancer Pam (Tomei) offers a ray of light, and he slowly is brought back to the real world, building up to a devasting ending.

Although there is so much to admire here, the performances are all magnificent, and are definitely the best part of the movie. Mickey Rourke as Randy turns in one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen. He combines his great ability with his tragic past to become Randy, and it’s simply devastating. You see his past on his face. You know the awful things he’s done and still continue to do. But you still symphatize with him. This isn’t necessarily a tearjerker, but shows the harsh conditions in which he lives, with some devasting moments along the way.

Evan Rachel Wood as Randy’s daughter has 3 scenes, but what she does in those 3 scenes goes to show that she is one of the best young actors working today. The majority of Marisa Tomei’s scenes required that my eyes be shut, but she proves that as well as a great comedic actress she is a great dramatic one.

It’s stunning that although it could have resigned to many cliches and come off as Rocky 10, it remains original and unpredictable right till the end. It’s left ambiguous but not in an artsy way. Either way you interpret it, it’s a great and fitting ending, if not complete.

Darren Aronofsky directs it with passion equal to that of Rourke’s  performance. His camera always follows him, and often times it feels like a documentary.

See The Wrestler. If not, you’d miss the best film 2008 had to offer. A

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