The Wrestler (2008)

It is a SIN!

Directed by: Darren Aronofsky.

Written by: Robert D. Siegel.

Starring: Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei.

"Don't go. You are gonna get hurt", says Cassidy. Randy replies, " The only place I get hurt is out there. The world don't give a sh!t about me", and begins heart-stopping guitar riffs of Sweet Child'o Mine in the background as Randy walks to the ring of infamous independent wrestling rematch with Ayatollah.

The Wrestler is a story of a gone-are-the-glory-days professional wrestler Randy 'The Ram' Robinson's (Mickey Rourke) survival-of-the-fittest days. Making ends meet is perhaps the last thing on his mind. His fling with a local strip-club dancer Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) and his self-CPR to revive as a father to his estranged daughter has its moments. Only to realise he continues to fail. Not to mention the sleepovers in his truck since the trailer-park manager changed the locks on Randy's trailer since he failed to pay the rent.

How much ever poignant and painful it might have been written by Robert Siegel, this film has no meaning without Mickey Rourke and Darren Aronofsky. Arronofsky is straight-to-the-core director. May it be the protagonist's attempt to drill his own skull in Pi (1998) or the dilation of pupils after injecting heroine in Requiem for a Dream (2000) Arronofsky wastes no time to exhibit his character's visceral state. Duplicated in Wrestler, as Randy adorns the hair-net and takes a long walk from the bathroom with the camera following his back and hears crowd cheering and screaming all the way to the plastic curtain. He opens the curtain to enter the bakery-station in the market. The cheering stops. One of the best scenes in the movie. Unmistakable character study.

But the main shining event is Mickey Rourke. He,reportedly, literally bled with fork wounds and staple gun. He jumps on to a barbed wire. He slits his forehead while opponent fakes an argument with the referee. And in the end he gives a bleeding grin and hugs his opponent in the locker room. He gets knocked on the face with the door by a prospective employer 1/10Th of his size. He apologises. He gets 'Ram-Jammed' as the neighborhood kid walks out after playing Nintendo for 10 min. He gets whacked at his daughter's disapproval of his fatherly love. He is knocked out by his own heart. Mickey Rourke is as sensational and spellbinding as maybe Hillary Swank with sock-stuffed-jeans as Brandon Teena in Boys Don't Cry (1999). This is a complete knock-out.

It is a SIN! First Academy overlooked Heath Ledger's breathtaking performance in Brokeback Mountain (2005). Then for some reason in an attempt to revitalise the status, awarded Sean Penn for portrayal of gay politician in Milk (2008). Moreover the jury for some other reason never hears Bruce Springsteen's brilliant composition The Wrestler that plays over the end credits and Springsteen doesn't even get a nomination. It can only be qualified as a SIN! Ironically matching the underlying theme of unsuccessful attempt of this movie, just like the strength of destiny for Slumdog Millionaire.

But in the end, as human nature goes, this will remain the most acclaimed performance and a fascinating film.

My rating: 9/10.