Tonight we went out to check The Wrestler at Sunshine, directed by Darren Aronofsky. I had heard the hype, “Resurrection of Mickey Rourke” and his Golden globe for best actor, and I’ve liked Aronofsky’s other flicks: Pi, Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain; so we went.
I wasn’t a fan of wrestling. Never really got into it as I was more of a field sports kid, however, E was. Apparently she played with figurines of Rowdy Roddy Piper, Andre the Giant, Randy “Macho Man” Savage and of course the Hulk.
The film starts up 20 years after the stud years of the 80s for pro-wrestler Randy “The Ram” Robinson (think Ric Flair) who’s dealing with the his final days of his career and struggling to reconnect with his daughter and a seasoned stripper (Marisa Tomei) searching to graduate from the poll. Both are aging professionals, with fake names who use their body to craft art, fantasy and entertainment for others. Well past their prime, they both struggle to make ends meet at their profession – The Ram making a few hundred bucks at old school day in the ring, and Cassidy struggles to get the frat boys to pay up for a dance.
Mickey added 50 lbs, pocked his face and grew out the locks for the roll, and still gave a compelling performance. On the other side, now 44 year old Tomei, got in the gym, took some poll lessons, pierced the nips and can work her shit better now, I think, than she did in her Oscar-winning “My Cousin Vinny” days. It’s well worth the trip to watch both actors, but this story about losers coming to reality in their age has a desperately moving appeal.
It’s fun back stage look at wrestling as enemies on stage are hugely encouraging friends working through their on stage acts. It’s shock of the ring with glass plate shattering, staple guns and bloody victories. And it’s a sad tragedy of life, with broken promises, self-destructive impulsive habits, and the loneliness of fame long gone. Randy stands tearful up on the ropes, with the lights centered, crowds cheering for that last Ram Jam!
