THE WRESTLER (2008)

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"And now,I'm an old broken down piece of meat..."

Let me start by saying this movie really didn't look all that good to me at first.I only picked it up because of all the hype around it.The Wrestler is a blunt, in your face picture about Randy"The Ram"Robinson,played by Mickey Rourke.Randy is a nearly washedup wrestling star who has been struggling since his heyday in the 80's.Mickey gives an astonishing performance,probably his best ever. Randy lives in a trailer in New Jersey, he works part time at a grocery store. On the weekends, he treks out to various school gyms and auditoriums to compete with other wrestlers.Some of the best moments in the movie,are when we see Randy before a match, working out the night's moves with his fellow athletes. To give the crowd the most exciting show possible,deciding which headlocks to use, determine when to do so and discusses the use of various props such as plate-glass windows and staple guns.We see the aftermath of one of those particularly brutal matches,were Randy has numerous wounds being sewn up and bandaged.As Randy faces the end of this career, he looks to reconcile with his estranged daughter, Stephanie (played by Evan Rachel Wood), and woos a aging stripper named Cassidy ( played by Marisa Tomei).Tomei and Wood both give great supporting performances.Cassidy like the Ram, choreographs her moves to maximum effect and minimal emotional involvement. She, like the Ram, is aging out of her job yet continues to sacrifice her body for cash.The Ram, like many wrestlers, spend cash at the strip clubs. There is a certain professional appreciation between the two, and the Ram connects with her as she helps him choose a gift for his estranged daughter.Rachel brings the perfect tone as the teenager who has been disappointed by the Ram all her life yet still longs for a protective, loving dad.Rourke is remarkable in his role.Tomei raises the level of the film with her ability to be naked yet private. The Ram has no one else in the world but his daughter. And now that his health is not so good, it's time for him to make peace with her, to show her that he really cares about her and that he will never abandon her again. There's a scene somewhere near the film's halfway point where Randy lets his guard down and engages in an evening of drugs and sex. The consequence he pays for those actions are devastating and lead him to the only way this movie can end.