At the Cineplex: The Wrestler (2008)

As someone who came into their love of film, or at least the acknowledgement that the movies were something more than just a way to kill two hours, during the 1980s, Mickey Rourke was a favorite. His brief but important role in Body Heat (1981) as Teddy, an ex-con bomb expert, made such an impression because Teddy really seemed like a sweet guy. Then came Diner (1982), a heartfelt comedy about college friends in 1950s Baltimore. Rourke moved onto more controversial films such as Year of the Dragon (1985) and Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986) due to their respective themes of racism and sexuality. But 1987’s Angel Heart is the film that features a criminally underrated performance by Rourke, as 1955 New York private detective Harry Angel who travels to New Orleans to find a missing person. Then the bodies start piling up. What makes the ending of Angel Heart so powerful is that we really have come to like Harry Angel. His fate is emotionally devastating. Rourke is in every scene in Angel Heart, and his is a terrific performance.

Mickey Rourke is also in every scene of The Wrestler, a film which just landed Rourke his first Oscar nomination. He deserves it and I hope he wins. His Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson is one of those seemingly unenviable guys who have nothing left, living day to day hoping he doesn’t get evicted from his rented trailer. His daughter hates him. His supervisor at the supermarket makes fun of him. The only pleasure for Randy is reliving his glory days as a 1980s iconic wrestler by taking low-paying gigs at reunions and community centers. He likes a stripper (Marisa Tomei, also Oscar nominated) who calls herself Cassidy but refuses to date any customers. When a turn of events threatens Randy’s future in the ring, Cassidy may be his only shot at happiness.

I was never a wrestling fan but the bouts dramatized in The Wrestler match with my recollection of what I did see. I always figured these events were staged, but I don’t think I realized just how physically brutal they truly were for the participants. Professional wrestlers made good money, became celebrities, and knew what they were doing. But like all professional sports figures, one wonders what happens when they physically cannot perform anymore.

The Ram’s glory days may be behind him, but he still gets much enjoyment, in spite of the pain, by hanging out with his peers and hearing the cheering crowds. He lives for those weekend gigs. And suddenly we do find ourselves envying Randy – even if only a little bit – because he has found something so special in his life. Maybe we don’t agree with it, or some of the choices Randy makes during the film. But Rourke makes us understand and ultimately feel for this guy. And this connection with the character overrides whatever familiarity we may have with the story itself. The Wrestler is a character piece about a man who finds he must now wrestle with certain decisions that are literally matters of life and death.

Director Darren Aronofsky uses hand-held cameras to give The Wrestler a documentary feel, made even more so by having Rourke work along side real wrestlers. The several bouts that are filmed are realistic and brutal. They involve not only head locks and back flips, but also broken glass, staples and ladders. The result is that Aronofsky creates a realistic world in which Rourke can work. And Randy ‘The Ram’ feels as authentic as any wrestler ever seen on pay-per-view.

The Wrestler may well earn Rourke the gold. And like Randy, the actor will hopefully be on the comeback trail. I say, “Welcome back, Harry Angel. I hope your time in hell is over.”