THE WRESTLER: Has the Oscars on the Ropes

Courtesy IMDB.com

The Wrestler
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood

As someone who grew up during the 90s, it would be safe to say that I watched my fair share of pro wrestling on television.  The WWF, now known as WWE, was slowly becoming the media powerhouse that it is today. I vividly remember the muscled machismos in their vibrant costumes pound the living snot out of each other. Looking back, pro wrestling is what probably made school yard brawls so enticing to watch. They stood as a means to dismiss society and give in to the desire to vent male aggression from both the combatants and the crowd it drew.

Perhaps this is the appeal of Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke. Rourke plays lead character Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a headlining wrestler from the 80s who is trying to survive in a world that has no room for a rundown old wrestler.  It’s a journey of man who is trying to put his life back together after a fall from the “turnbuckle” of fame. What will draw most the wrestling fans to this film is the scenes where Rourke and the his fellow wrestler’s discuss upcoming matches in the locker room. From their discussions of the choreography of how they will hit each other to the hidden secrets of how they make the brawls look real (hidden razor blade in wrist band to cut forehead while collapsed on the mat).

Mickey Rourke and Tommy Farra in THE WRESTLER

But aside from the scenes that appeal to the male ego, The Wrestler offers an original viewing experience. The film is shot in a documentary style making it look like a camera man is following Rourke’s character around. It gives the film a feel of realism because the camera goes and sees what a viewer can’t normally see. Under his bleached blond hair and his battered body, the viewer can see the soul of the character that only Rourke can properly portray.

Of course, one can’t talk about The Wrestler without talking about Marisa Tomei. Tomei plays Cassidy, a stripper that The Ram falls in love with and tries to save. Tomei is getting a lot of award buzz for this film, which I find kind of strange. She does a terrific job acting but it’s nothing spectacular. Yet she always gets attention when a movie she is in gets award nominations. I still don’t understand why she won for My Cousin Vinny. Of course, the movie is great so I guess I shouldn’t be too critical.

Marisa Tomei in the Wrestler

Overall, the Wrestler is one of my top picks for this year’s Academy Awards. It’s a movie that requires a lot of attention, in both mainstream film and cult favourites.

RATING: 5 out of 5 Wicked Awesomes

Why You Should Care: Rourke=Awesome, Does Marisa Tomei deserve the award?, Piledrivers a-plenty