A few days ago, I watched Oliver Stone’s Wall Street. While it’s a solid film, I was shocked that Michael Douglas received the 1988 Best Actor Oscar for playing Gordon Gekko. Don’t get me wrong, Douglas did a great job, but I could easily imagine Alec Baldwin playing Gekko equally well, if not better. On the other hand, I can’t picture anyone but Mickey Rourke playing Randy “The Ram” Robinson in The Wrestler.It’s hard to be pathetic and charismatic simultaneously, but that’s exactly what Rourke pulls off. While The Ram is a deeply flawed person, his magnetism inside and outside of the ring is so undeniable that I couldn’t help but root for him. The Ram was the most popular wrestler of the 1980s, but for reasons that become quite obvious, he struggles economically and personally in the present day.
It should be noted that this review is written from a wrestling fan's perspective. The Wrestler perfectly captures the drama and fun of a great match, the backstage lingo, and the hardships of the business, but liking wrestling shouldn’t be a prerequisite for enjoying the film. Ultimately, The Wrestler is more of a character study than a wrestling movie.
The Ram’s CZW match – an obvious homage to ECW, Extreme Championship Wrestling – encapsulates everything that made ECW popular with its blood-thirsty fans, and yet, horribly brutal on its performers. Non-fans might scoff at the notion that a “fake” sport would rip their performers' flesh with barbwire, thumbtacks, razor blades, and staple guns, but I assure you, there is zero exaggeration in the scene. Even the fans chanting “USE HIS LEG! USE HIS LEG!” after a fan hands The Ram his prosthetic leg is something that could easily have happened in ECW.
While Rourke's performance is as good as anything I saw all year, his two main co-stars, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood, are also excellent and integral to the film's success. Cassidy (Tomei), like The Ram, has clearly made some wrong turns in her life, but her son is her first priority. The same cannot be said about The Ram. No matter how much he wants to be a good dad, his personal issues get in the way. Cassidy tries to help The Ram with his daughter (Wood), and through his charm and obvious affinity for Cassidy, The Ram boosts Cassidy’s self-esteem in the often degrading world of stripping. Tomei and Wood both expertly convey conflicting emotions about The Ram, who can be the coolest guy in the room or the world's biggest loser within the same scene.
A film’s editor rarely gets much credit, but there was nary a wasted shot in the film. At no point did I think, “Why is this scene in the movie?” Scenes like The Ram playing an antiquated wrestling video game as himself against one of the neighborhood kids reveals multiple traits: The Ram clings to the glory days of the 1980s, he's desperate for companionship, he's broke, he's competitive, and he still connects with people when given the opportunity. Rourke is getting ample Oscar hype, but Andrew Weisblum deserves consideration for Achievement in Film Editing.
Without spoiling anything, Bruce Springsteen’s “The Wrestler” sets a perfect tone for the end of the movie. What can I say? I’m a sucker for The Boss. (See my previous post for more on Springsteen's new album.)
For any wrestling fan, The Wrestler is a must-see. And fans of great filmmaking should appreciate an intricately told story, compelling drama, some good laughs, and Oscar-worthy acting. If you see this film, there's a good chance you'll never look at wrestling or Mickey Rourke the same way again.
