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(Note: Before getting this review underway, I must note that I’m reviewing the standard DVD version of the movie and not the blu-ray version, and I‘ll attempt to keep the spoilers to a minimum.)
From the back of the case…
Mickey Rourke gives the performance of a life time as pro wrestling Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a former superstar now paying the price for twenty years of grueling punishment in and out of the ring. But he’s about to risk everything to prove he has one more match left in him: a re-staging of his famous Madison Square Garden bout against “The Ayatollah.” Darren Aronofsky directs a powerful cast in this action-packed saga of guts, glory and gritty determination that is “as irresistible as a headlock” (New York Post).
First off, the performance of Mickey Rourke as Randy “The Ram” Robinson is easily one of the best movie performances of the year in any film. Mickey Rourke, who was a replacement for Nicholas Cage (who pulled out of the film after one day training as a wrestler) really has resurrected his career following his performance in the film.
Mickey Rourke doesn’t come off like an actor portraying a wrestler in the movie, but he looks and performs like a wrestler who has been around as long as his character Randy “The Ram” Robinson has been a wrestler for. For those wondering, Randy “The Ram” Robinson wrestles in three promotions during the span of the movie, which are Ring Of Honor, World Xtreme Wrestling and Combat Zone Wrestling.
Besides going through “The Ram’s” return to the ring following a heart attack, the two other focuses of the film are on Randy Robinson’s relationships with his daughter (played by Evan Rachel Wood) and a friendly exotic dancer (played by Marisa Tomei).
Evan Rachel Wood plays the daughter of Randy Robinson, the two have a very strained relationship following Randy Robinson putting his wrestling career before her during her childhood. Although Evan Rachel Woods time on the screen is very short, her last scene featuring her character and Mickey Rourke is easily one of the most emotional moments in the film.
Marisa Tomei portrays Cassidy, an exotic dancer and mother who becomes friends with Randy Robinson and later, tries to become more to him. Marisa Tomei does an excellent job in her role and looks damn good in the buff during her stripping scenes, considering she is over forty years of age. During my time viewing the film in the theater, I was rooting for Cassidy and Randy Robinson to get together in the end, but what does happen in the end seemingly portrays a wrestlers life than a feel good ending would have been.
For those wondering, real life professional wrestlers like R-Truth, Nigel McGuinness, Tommy Rotten, Necro Butcher, Paul E. Normous and others appear in the film.
As for the special features on the DVD, there are two on the regular DVD, with an added bonus feature on the blu-ray version of the film. The first feature is a short documentary called “Within The Ring”, which take a look at the process it took to make the film, which was shot in thirty seven days in thirty seven different locations throughout the New Jersey-Pennsylvania area. There is a lot of interesting footage focusing on how the wrestling scenes were shot and it features comments from Mickey Rourke, Evan Rachel Wood, Darren Arenofsky, Necro Butcher and others. The second feature is a music video for the song “The Wrestler”, which was written and performed by Bruce Springsteen. The blu-ray bonus feature is a wrestlers roundtable discussion with Brutus Beefcake, Greg Valentine, Lex Luger, Roddy Piper and Diamond Dallas Page.
Overall, this movie is a must see film for pro wrestling fans and in general, The Wrestler is a movie that moves past the niche of a “wrestling movie” and could be found enjoyable by all moviegoers alike.
You can contact David Tees at bigtees360@yahoo.com
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