Wow. Finally opened here in Saskatoon, and Mickey Rourke is so very deserving of the acting accolades being given to him. Yeah, the wrestling stuff isn't a huge shock if you already know about the staple guns and blades and such (although don't they usually leave the staples out of the gun?), but man what a tragic story on so many levels. It just feels so sadly true to the business, and the parallels with Cassidy (Yowza, Marissa has aged quite well!) and her fall from the peak of her profession are well done as well. And hey, there's even another level, as the 80s hair metal that permeates the soundtrack (the awesomest soundtrack ever, I might add) is made up of bands who are still trying to milk their own former glory and doing the same drugs and ringrats that Randy was. I think, for me, the best piece of acting was the brief period when Randy was working the deli counter and seemed to be so legitimately happy doing such a mundane job, and I think that was even worse for him than his fall from grace in wrestling was.
Just a brilliant piece of cinema. Highest recommendation.
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Tags: Cinema, Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
I thought the movie was really well done and Rourke did a hell of a job. Also, it was nice to see SPOILER (Well, not really) Ernest the Cat Miller. He’s always been one of my guilty pleasure favorites. Not a good worker by any sense but he always entertained me.
This movie is fantastic. I just saw it today too (mini-rant… $9.25 for a ticket at a 4:20 showing…shouldn’t that be matinee prices!) This is one hell of a movie. The crowd I saw it with was shockingly large for a movie about wrestling, but if you ignore that its about wrestling (and like Scott’s said, its shockingly accurate in the way it portrays wrestling) its still just a fantastic movie about a guy whose losing the only thing he’s got going for him.
My too biggest complains were too much of Mickey Rourke’s naked ass and not enough of Marrisa Tomei’s naked boobs (and ass). She is still hot, and I totally wouldn’t mind a lapdance from her.
I just saw this tonight in Orlando at Downtown Disney. Rourke so was good there were times in the film I was thinking he really WAS a pro wrestler. Everything from Drugs to Ringrats is in this film. I didn’t like the ending but otherwise a good film. And it was enjoyable to watch since only 4 people including myself was watching it. And I agree with Keith the best acting was the deli scenes.
What I want to know is, how did a washed up wrestler who can’t even pay his rent pay for a heart bypass surgery?