The Wrestler

Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler is about two people who are used by society as pieces of meat. But their bodies are wearing out, they are getting old, and in their professions (pro wrestling and stripping) you are too old very quickly.

Mickey Rourke plays Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a former WWF-style wrestler, one of the most popular and revered. He is now reduced to doing signings for the few random fans that might come to memorobilia shows, and doing really small reunion wrestling bouts. He is much past his prime, and works as a grocery store stocker during the week. And yes, he needs many many drugs to keep doing what he is doing, even for the measly sums he gets for wrestling now. Those drugs, including many steroids, as well as his body getting older, have lead to a heart attack. His doctor says he cannot wrestle anymore. What can he do now? He doesn't know anything else. He is poor and alone. His daughter doesn't want to be in his life because he wasn't when she was growing up. He has nothing. Except... his favorite stripper Cassidy (Marisa Tomei).

Cassidy is much like The Ram. She is getting old, and her body doesn't look as great as it used to. She is trying to raise a son all by herself, and she is starting to make quite a bit less money. Randy tries to see her outside the club, which is forbidden, and she wants nothing to do with that. Yet sometimes she does. They are both lonely, they both are losing everything they know, their livelihood, and they start to see that they may want each other.

One scene that stuck with me was when Randy invites a local kid over to play NES Wrestling, from the eighties. He is one of the characters, which is pretty cool for him and the neighborhood kids. They play, but then the kid leaves, says he wants to play Call of Duty 4, "it's pretty fun." That game came out last year, and is at the complete and utter opposite end of the video game spectrum in terms of quality, graphics, technology, etc. The film is almost a love song to the 80's, it feels like the 80's, but takes place now. It is the 80's after too many all-night benders. It is old, pathetic, endearing, and sad.

The ending of the film encapulates the whole movie, but I won't give it away. It shows the desperation, confusion, purpose, and loneliness of Randy. Every man needs a reason to get up in the morning, a purpose, a use in this life. This is one of the most prominent themes in film these days, and this could very well be one of the best.

Mickey Rourke deserves all the acclaim he is receiving, as well as the Oscar he will most likely win. He lives his performance because this film parellels his own life. He does many of the stunts himself (including cutting himself with a small razor in a match). It is a noble, gutsy, vulnerable, tragic, endearing and tremendous performance. This film is worth it for that reason alone. Yet, the story takes it to another level. It could even be a modern parable of our instant gratification society, and our desire for everything new, fit, clean, and strong. What happens after?