Mickey Rourke plays Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a famous fictional wrestler who peaked during the 80s.
Now, 20 years on, the aging warrior is skint, falling apart and alone. We follow him (often over his shoulder as he wheezes along) through the autumn of his life where one staged but bloody fight too many puts him in touch with mortality. Essentially The Wrestler is similar to Rocky, though on the whole, it makes for more realistic cinema. At times Randy makes you laugh and at times you’ll feel extremely touched and even down. Given Rourke’s own turbulent past it is hard to imagine anyone playing the part quite as effectively as he does.

Besides Rourke there are some other great performances in the film, most notably Marisa Tomei who plays a stripper and Robinson’s love interest, Cassidy and Stephanie Robinson (Evan Rachel Wood), Robinson’s estranged daughter.

Despite seeing merchandise and picking up snippets of Randy’s past successes we are made to realise that he has been truly forgotten and for whatever reason, the world has turned its back on him. Even at Rocky’s lowest points there was always that smiling face – Mickey or Paulie, Adrian or Apollo to help him out. Penniless and isolated, Randy has difficulty keeping friends. In one touching scene he plays as himself on an old NES console against a ten year old neighbour who won’t shut up about Call of Duty 4, a modern game that Randy has never heard of. Though sometimes out of touch we often witness the man’s charm – like when he works extra shifts at a deli, remarking on his customers appearances and making general chit-chat in a very funny and warming scene.

We do get nods to his past, but we are never taken out of the story with flashbacks of glory days,
which fits snugly with the character – at least until recently he has only ever looked forward and fighting is his life. This makes the fact that he’s on his last legs all the more poignant – what should a man do when all he knows is fighting but is told for the good of his health to stop? should he throw in the towel if it’s the only thing that makes him feel alive?

Despite similarities with Rocky, The Wrestler in its entirety is quite different. It reaches dark depths but still has the ability to delight and amuse. Not a lot of films can boast this.

I noticed a lot of teenagers in the cinema and imagine quite a few of them were disappointed. The Wrestler’s fights are few (although interesting and at times, bloody). The real heart of the film is Randy dealing with being a has-been and seeking comfort in the few people he has left. Highly recommended.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!