Thank God for the Oscars. For two months the cinemas are full of some great films. I have seen some good movies this last couple of months and none of them were remakes. I must say I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this, I read the script a few months back and while thought it was good it never really blew me away. I hate wrestling and never really liked Mickey Rourke, so was not expecting to be bowled over.

But it was fantastic, really really brilliant. I thought Mickey Rourke was just sensational as Randy the Ram, a relic from the 80's wrestling scene. A man who spends his time on the independent wrestling circuit trying to earn enough to pay the rent and maybe enjoy the odd dance from the stripper he has a thing for (Marisa Tomei is very good as Cassidy the lapdancer, a cracking performance that really deserves an Oscar nomination).

It is a simple story really, certainly no ground being broken but what Darren Aronofsky has done so well is to just back off and let his two leads  get on with it and for me that is the sign of a great director. You cannot help but get sucked into Randy's world when it is Rourke who is taking you there. The camera literally follows him wherever he goes, it really does feel like a documentary at times and it works brilliantly. The scenes in the ring are brutal, the scenes outside the ring are just as brutal, it is a great piece of filmmaking.

After assuming that Sean Penn was a nailed-on certainty for the Oscar I do have to say I have completely changed my mind. It would be a inconceivable to me for Rourke not to win for this.

I must admit I have never seen a Darren Aronofsky film before but I intend to watch 'The Fountain' after this. I have also noticed that his next project is a remake of Robocop, while the whole remake thing does nothing for me I would actually be quite interested in seeing anything this guy makes next. What about Mickey Rourke as Robocop! How cool would that be?

Cracking film.

This has been one of those films I have been waiting for and I wasn't disappointed.

Probably the most accurate and respectful wrestling film ever made.

It has enough of everything else to appeal to more than just wrestling fans.

The depiction of the Independent wrestler is accurate. Most of them carry a "real" job (Mostly a teacher) because they cannot get enough bookings to make a living. The only way to have a career is to get signed and even that doesn't guarantee anything making less money than most of us. They have to be called up to the big show (WWE or TNA) before they can make any money.

I appreciated this film for what it was and what it tried to do.

I liked this too. Very strong acting from all involved. Mickey Rourke derserves an Oscar, Marisa Tomei was great too. The wrestling matches were stunning, very realistic but for me, the best part is Randy working behind the counter in the shop serving the customers.

I'm not a wrestling fan, not watched any since I was a wee boy ten years ago but you don't need to be a fan to like this.

One thing that bugged me, and I totally understand why he done it, is the camera showing the back of Randy's bleached hair for a large portion of the film. I know the director is trying to show us his life, like we are following him every step of the way but it bugged me because it was happening so often. I know other people will think that worked great like he intended it but not for me. I think I seen more of the back of his head than his face. Then again, It's Mickey Rourke we're talking about so maybe that's a good thing.

Not bad.  Mostly meh.  Mickey Rourke did pretty good, and I liked Rachel Evan Wood as his daughter.  She really let it fly at him, after so very convincingly allowing herself to be sucked back in.  That felt very realistic to me, so I liked that part.  It seemed like a lot of the stripper stuff was used to fill up screen time.  At least to me it seemed that way.

I liked the behind the scenes portions of the Wrestler before and after the matches.  Great to see what I've always heard was the reality behind all the hatred.  Cool.

It was a very interesting subject, being a big fan of early to mid eighties wrestling, and that is what drew me to watching it in the first place.  It just never took off.  It came off too much as a documentary, and the nudity seemed like it was used to attract, rather than to move the story forward.

6/10

Quoted from steven8 and the nudity seemed like it was used to attract, rather than to move the story forward.

I thought the nudity/stripping was very important as the film drew many parallels between Randy and Cassidy; particularly those dealing with how they used (and abused) their bodies.  Also, it wasn't done tastelessly or in a gratuitous manner.

Quoted from dresseme I thought the nudity/stripping was very important as the film drew many parallels between Randy and Cassidy; particularly those dealing with how they used (and abused) their bodies.  Also, it wasn't done tastelessly or in a gratuitous manner.

That's how easily something can be seen differently by two people.  It seemed they spent more screen time on it than was needed.  To me, that is.

Quoted from steven8 That's how easily something can be sen differently by two people.  It seemed they spent more screen time on it than was needed.  To me, that is.

Well, also, the nudity wasn't really appealing (and that was also the point).  It was kind of depressing, not really erotic.

Quoted from dresseme Well, also, the nudity wasn't really appealing (and that was also the point).  It was kind of depressing, not really erotic.

That much is certainly true.  Thing is, the whole movie was kind of depressing.  At least Randy went out with his boots on!

Quoted from steven8 At least Randy went out with his boots on!

Amen to that.  

Yeah, this is the first movie that made me cry a river in the theater.

Mickey Rourke's speech to his daughter, and the very ending.  Other scenes.

Oh man I cried.  It just hit me hard.  very good movie.

Quoted from slabstaa Mickey Rourke's speech to his daughter, and the very ending.  Other scenes.

I remember reading that Rourke's speech at the end (like many things in the film) was improvised.  To me, that makes it all the more powerful, especially because the film paralleled Rourke's own life; giving that much more meaning to what he was saying.

Quoted from dresseme To me, that makes it all the more powerful, especially because the film paralleled Rourke's own life; giving that much more meaning to what he was saying.

Stallone did the same thing in Rocky Balboa

Michel

Quoted from michel Stallone did the same thing in Rocky Balboa

Really?  Did not know that.

I think Stallone did a phenomenal job resurrecting himself.  People laughed (much like in his films) when he tried to come back, but now he's making films again that people are actually excited about ("The Expendables").

Stallone was inspired by in own life and (mostly) his career to write the last Rocky. You can feel it in the dialogs. Till that film, I respect a little more Stallone.

Michel

Quoted from dresseme but now he's making films again that people are actually excited about ("The Expendables").

o yea dude, fuckin a.  Eric Roberts and Stone Cold Steve Austin?  I'm seeing that one for sure.

Quoted from dresseme I remember reading that Rourke's speech at the end (like many things in the film) was improvised.  To me, that makes it all the more powerful, especially because the film paralleled Rourke's own life; giving that much more meaning to what he was saying.

Yeah and it really moved me.  Reminds me of some things that I have going on.  Not all the wrestling stuff but the similar stuff going on with him, and all that he talked about, it was really movinng.

Mickey Rourke is the shiznit, especially in Year of the Dragon