When I first heard of the movie ?The Wrestler?, starring Mickey Rourke, I didn't really think it was going to amount to much. I thought it was probably going to get panned by the critics, and that it probably wouldn't last long in the theaters. Boy, was I wrong. From the beginning it got really good reviews and Time Magazine has called it Mickey Rourke's comeback film.

?The Wrestler?, directed by Darren Aronofsky, stars Rourke, Earnest Miller, Marisa Tomei, and Evan Rachel Wood, premiered at the 2008 Venice Film Festival, and won top honors. Fox Searchlight then acquired the rights to distribute the film in the US, and was released in a limited capacity on December 17, 2008, and released worldwide in January.

The film is centered on retired professional wrestler Randy ?The Ram? Robinson, once a headlining professional wrestler and now at the end of his career, as he makes his way through the independent circuit, trying to get back in the game for one final showdown with his former rival.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Rourke being interviewed on NBC's Today Show. I thought, maybe people are going to give this film a chance. Famous film critic Roger Ebert gave it 4 stars, stating ?I cared as deeply about Randy the Ram as any movie character I've seen this year. I cared about Mickey Rourke, too. The way this role and this film unfold, that almost amounts to the same thing. Rourke may not win the Oscar for best actor. But it would make me feel good to see him up there. It really would.? Other critics have applauded Rourke for his portrayal of Robinson. Some have said this work could earn him the Oscar. Well, if he doesn't win that, his performance was good enough to win him a Golden Globe award.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to see ?The Wrestler? yet, since it hasn't played in my area. But, I will be sure to watch it when it comes out on DVD. I will watch it as a wrestling fan, to see what it is like for wrestlers like him and what they go through during this stage of their lives/careers, and not as someone looking for some artistic masterpiece. But, if I do find it to find it to be that way, then that is just gravy!

Derek

The Wrestling Frenzy