Production Year: 2008 - Drama - Director: Darren Aronofsky - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Ernest "The Cat" Miller, Mickey Rourke more
Darren Aronofsky directs this searing drama about a past-his-prime wrestler who tries to regain his earlier fame. Mickey Rourke (ANGEL HEART, SIN CITY) continues a career revival... more
The Wrestler DVD
Back in the late '80s Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was a headlining ... more
professional wrestler. Now twenty years later he ekes out a living performing for handfuls of diehard wrestling fans in high school gyms and community centers around New...
The Wrestler
Darren Aronofsky directs this searing drama about a past-his-prime wrestler who tries to ... more
regain his earlier fame. Mickey Rourke (ANGEL HEART, SIN CITY) continues a career revival of his own as the fighter, while Oscar winner Marisa Tomei (IN THE BEDROOM, MY COUSIN VINNY) and Evan Rachel Wood (THIRTEEN, DOWN IN THE VALLEY) co-star. Rourke is Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, a one-time superstar of professional wrestling who's down on his luck, estranged from his teenage daughter (Wood) and clinging onto the remains of his career by appearing in brutally violent bouts that barely pay him enough to make the rent on his trailer park home. It soon becomes clear that his broken body is incapable of following through the determination of his plucky spirit and when he succumbs to a heart attack he finds himself at a crossroads where he must decide whether or not to continue his futile pursuit of celebrity or make amends with those that he has alienated.After his somewhat ambitious flirtation with the science fiction genre in THE FOUNTAIN, director Aronofsky returns to Earth and back to the emotional human drama of his earlier REQUIEM FOR A DREAM. Having fallen from grace in his own professional life, Rourke delivers a towering performance as Robinson; a man whose career trajectory is so close to the actor's own, the film is given a staggering level of poignancy
The Wrestler
Darren Aronofsky directs this searing drama about a past-his-prime wrestler who tries to ... more
regain his earlier fame. Mickey Rourke (ANGEL HEART, SIN CITY) continues a career revival of his own as the fighter, while Oscar winner Marisa Tomei (IN THE BEDROOM, MY COUSIN VINNY) and Evan Rachel Wood (THIRTEEN, DOWN IN THE VALLEY) co-star. Rourke is Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, a one-time superstar of professional wrestling who's down on his luck, estranged from his teenage daughter (Wood) and clinging onto the remains of his career by appearing in brutally violent bouts that barely pay him enough to make the rent on his trailer park home. It soon becomes clear that his broken body is incapable of following through the determination of his plucky spirit and when he succumbs to a heart attack he finds himself at a crossroads where he must decide whether or not to continue his futile pursuit of celebrity or make amends with those that he has alienated.After his somewhat ambitious flirtation with the science fiction genre in THE FOUNTAIN, director Aronofsky returns to Earth and back to the emotional human drama of his earlier REQUIEM FOR A DREAM. Having fallen from grace in his own professional life, Rourke delivers a towering performance as Robinson; a man whose career trajectory is so close to the actor's own, the film is given a staggering level of poignancy.
The Wrestler - CD
Quiet Riot - Bang Your Head (Mental Health) Cinderella - Don't Know What You Got (Till ... more
It's Gone) Birdman & Lil Wayne - Stuntin' Like My Daddy Firehouse - Don't Walk Away Rhino Bucket - Soundtrack To A War - Welcome To Hell Soloman - Blowin' Up Dead Family - Mirror Ratt - Round and Round Slaughter - Dangerous Ratt - I'm Insane Accept - Balls To The Walls Scorpions - Animal Magnetism
Production Year: 2003 - Drama - Director: Michael Winterbottom - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Tim Robbins, Samantha Morton, Om Puri, Jeanne Balibar
Production Year: 1981 - Drama - Director: Franco Zeffirelli - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Brooke Shields, Martin Hewitt, Shirley Knight, Don Murray, Richard Kiley, Penelope Milford, Beatrice Straight
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Take care of your relationship,ultimately that's all THAT matters
A review by Gladiator007 on The Wrestler April 10th, 2009
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Loved it
Story
Outstanding
Characters / Performances
Outstanding
Special Effects
Good
How does it compare to similar films?
Outstanding
Advantages:
Superb performance by Mickey Rourke, gripping storyline, an honest insight of Wrestling business .
Disadvantages:
Some disturbing fighting sequences .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
“The Wrestler” is one the most discussed 2008 films directed and produced by the talented and pioneering director Darren Aronofosky. This movie tells us about the daily life of a middle-aged professional wrestler, his troubled relationship, his mid-life crisis and also about the dilemma he is facing for social acceptance. The central character played the legendary and versatile genius actor Mickey Rourke. His splendid and emotional performance in this movie not only impressed the million of audiences but also earned him a few prestigious awards.
CLOSER LOOK TO DIRECTOR
American born director Darren Aronofosky is widely famous for his unique film-subjects. He has directed some excellent and well-received movies such as Pi, Batman Project, Requiem for a Dream and The wrestler. As a director, he did covered diverse subjects as the theme of his films proficiently. He is not typed in only one genre of movies. One of his movies tells us about the mentally disturbed math prodigy and his daily life crisis, another movie tells us about the aftermath of people having drugs and their delusional thoughts and his latest venture “The Wrestler” tells us about a lonely wrestler who is searching for peace and constantly trying to settle down in his life.
MAIN CHARACTERS
* Mickey Rourke plays the role of Randy "The Ram" Robinson (The protagonist of the movie, a socially awkward middle-aged professional wrestler) * Marisa Tomei plays the role of Cassidy (Also known as Pam, the stripper from a night club, she is the love interest of Randy) * Evan Rachel Wood plays the role of Stephanie (Daughter of Randy, had a troubled childhood and afraid of relationship) * Todd Barry plays the role of Wayne (The rude and mean-minded Boss of Randy, always try to humiliate Randy for no such reasons.) * Ernest Miller plays the role of Bob (another professional wrestler and long time opponent of Randy in the ring and also a good friend of him)
PLOT OUTLINE
This movie opens with few paper-cuttings pinned in a wall, giving an idea to the viewers that, Randy used to be a renowned and champion wrestler during 1980’s. Now he is aged and lost his prime time in wrestling arena, and takes part in some small independent wrestling matches.Randy is also in financial difficulties, and could not pay the house rent (a trailer to be precise) on time. As a result the house-owner locked the trailer and asked him to pay the rent.
He also works in a super-market, where his boss, Wayne is very rude and often tries to abuse him verbally. Randy keeps quiet and tolerates his unreasonable rude behaviours. Randy later meets with a beautiful stripper named Cassidy in a night club and feels attracted to her. Though initially, the feelings is not mutual. Randy has a daughter named Stephanie and she goes to school and does not live with him. Randy left his daughter few years ago and did not take care of her properly. He tries to pretend that he does not have any relative and wants to have a care-free life. As a result, Stephanie does not like her father at all.
So the movie tells us, how Randy approaches to Cassidy and expresses his feelings. This movie also tells us about the critical father-daughter relationship between Randy and Stephanie and how Randy tries to convince her daughter that he has changed now and really need her, and also tells us how Randy finds peace finally in his life. This movie has a very interesting and gripping plotline with some moving performances.
MY PERSONAL THOUGHT
This is an absolutely brilliant movie. Don’t judge the movie from its title, though it’s mainly revolves around wrestling and stuff, still it also narrates about a lonely wrestler who is constantly seeking for close ones to share his feelings and find happiness in his life. Randy is very alone person, and it reflects very clearly when he wants to hang out with a neighbourhood kid, he also offers that kid to play games with him. Mickey Rourke played his character with lots of emotion and honest dedication. In the end, it touches our heart. His facial expression, flexible body movements, and immaculate deliver of dialogues just made his character livelier and really enjoyable. In one scene, I really find Randy’s character is socially awkward. Here is the conversation,
Randy: Hey Cassidy: Hey Randy: Goddamn, I almost did not recognize you, you look...you look clean. Cassidy: Clean?? Randy: I mean you look lovely.
As you can see, Randy is not used to talk with women in a nicer manner and he ends up using some uncomfortable words to appreciate the beauty and good looks of Cassidy. But the way Randy said it is just priceless and appreciable.You definitely going to feel for his character and started to sympathize for Randy. In my opinion, it is an outstanding achievement for Mickey and I sincerely am pleased about his works in this movie.
Marisa Tomei played the character of Cassidy, the stripper from night club. She has an eight years old son. Though she started to like Randy, later she is confused whether to move forward or leave Randy. Marisa Tomei is a talented and promising actress. But somehow in this movie; I find her acting very sub-standard and not very professional. She always seems lost and not connected with the scene. Especially her facial expression is not good at all. She always tries hard to act like a troubled and kind of uncomfortable woman for her profession, but in the end, she gave the same facial expression in every single shot. Even when she feels compassion for Randy, because of his illness, still she looks very agitated and uptight. Somehow it feels like she is really not happy to share the same screen with Mickey Rourke. But hey that is entirely my personal opinion.
Evan Rachel Wood plays the character of Randy’s daughter and she did a brilliant job. Stephanie misses her dad, but her dad was not there when she needed him most and in the end she had a troubled childhood. She still loves her dad very much, but worried if she allows him to come close again, he will leave her alone once more and she really don’t want to go through the same pain over and over. Her acting in a over-sensitive role of Stephanie goes along with insecure and uncomfortable body movements and edgy delivery of dialogs, simply makes her character more pleasant and touchy.
~ IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP~
Though the main theme of this movie is wrestling as the movie title also suggests the similar thing. But to me it actually represents the ups and down of a common human being in a broader sense. No matter which profession you are in, you need to work hard and sacrifice a lot to keep your relationship healthy. Because in the end, our family and close-ones going to stick around for us. So it is definitely not a good thing to neglect and abandon your relationship. As randy gets old, he needs someone to share his feelings, to find peace and happiness. But his early life mistakes could not allow him to have that. His daughter, Stephanie is really hurt and in constant pain, just because her father neglected her when she needed him. In the end both Stephanie and Randy suffers from emotional breakdown and find it really difficult to work everything out between them.
~GRAND RETURN OF A TALENTED ACTOR~
Mickey Rourke is a multi-talented and radiant actor. He was a boxer before he started his acting career. During early 90’s he decided to go back to his boxing and took a break from movie career. In 2005, he played the notorious and revengeful character of Marv in R. Rodriquez movie Sin City. It was the lead character of the movie and earned him world wide reorganization once again.
Later in 2008, he decided to play the role of Randi in this movie. To be honest with you, this was the best decision he has taken so far regarding his acting career. He has been praised by both movie critics and viewers and also earned some awards as well as extensive reorganization for his outstanding work in this movie. It is indeed a grand and successful return of a multi-talented actor and I do wish to see some more superb acting from him in his next projects.
~THINGS THAT PLEASED ME~
1. Simply outstanding characterization of Randy and equally brilliant and moving performance by Mickey Rourke. 2. Very touchy and interesting storyline. 3. The complicated relationship between Randy and Stephanie (father &daughter) has been depicted masterfully. 4. Some very exciting fighting sequences.
~SOME INCONVENIENCES~
1. Some fighting sequences are very blood-spattered and disturbing. 2. Unnecessary nudity in night club scenes and to me it’s just distracting the main plot. This can be avoided and still it can be a better movie, but it is my personal opinion.
TRAILER AND WEBSITE
Fox searchlight got the right to distribute this movie in USA. They have released this movie in a limited facility in USA on 17th December, 2008. This movie was released in UK on 16th January,2009. The movie website is http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thewrestler/ The online trailer is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61-GFxjTyV0
VIEWER’S RECEPTION
This movie received overwhelmingly positive reviews from both critics and viewers. Currently it has 8.4/10 rating in IMDB and voted by almost 45 thousand viewers. It is also ranked 72th in the all time top-250 movies in IMDB. It also has 97% fresh rating in Rotten Tomatoes (another movie critic website) and received a golden tomato for being the best drama film of 2008.
AWARDS
Mickey Rourke’s work has been appreciated widely and also got him the nomination for best actor in a leading role at Oscars. Though he lost to Sean Penn. Though, he won the both BAFTA and BSFC as the best actor in leading role.
FINAL THOUGHT AND RECOMMENDATION
This is an wonderful movie with some dazzling performances and superb storyline. If you are not a wrestling fan like me, still it is highly recommended, as it does not only revolves around wrestling, it actually reflects the lonesomeness of a human being and how he struggles to find peace and happiness in his life. So what you are waiting for, go watch it and treat yourself with an emotional and highly enjoyable movie.
WHERE CAN WE GET IT
Since it has been over two months the movie has released, so there is much lesser chance to watch this movie on a cinema hall. But still you can check out the local cinema hall, if they still running this movie or not. The DVD and Bluray version has been slated to be released on 1st June, 2009 in UK and will be available from Amazon. If you pre-order now, then there will be no delivery charge and the DVD version will cost around £12 and the Bluray version will cost around £17.
Thank you very much for reading.
Have a grand Easter and hope you all have a happy holiday.
Advantages: Rourke's performance is stunning with such a good storyline to back it up Disadvantages: The emotional scenes perhaps did drag a little bit...
The Wrestler could have been a film that many would be weary of watching due to the title alone; when many think of wrestling, they think of overgrown men fumbling about a ring and falsely attacking one another with poor punches and kicks. The word ‘fake’ will often crop up too; wrestling can be viewed as ‘fake’ because the outcome of the bout is predetermined before the fighters have even gotten to the squared circle so already, by the connotations ... ...only to those who love the sport. However, because I am a wrestling fan I wanted to watch The Wrestle’; I’m not the type of enthusiast that believes the sport to be convincing, not by a long stretch, but I am interested in the lives of the wrestlers away from the glitz and glamour of companies such as the WWE. Over the past couple of years, wrestling fans will have been witness to the web of intrigue surrounding suspicious deaths of wrestlers and ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average exceptional
Advantages: Brilliant acting and directing, great character study, phenomenal ending Disadvantages: Not enough happening in the plot for it to be 'great'
THE WRESTLER Intro The role of Randy 'the Ram' Robinson originally belonged to Nicholas Cage, but he quit the job because he didn't think he'd have enough time to get into the shape of a steroid-pumped wrestler. Well thank the Lord that Cage quit, because, without wanting to slate Cage's acting ability, he could have never commanded the role at the same standard Rourke did.up The film was a huge hit, and although it didn't win any Oscars it ... ...managed to watch this at the cinema a while back, and it was worth every bit of my entrance fee (although it's still ridiculously high). Plot Robin Ramzinski, or Randy 'the Ram' Robinson as he is known to his many fans, is a professional wrestler who was huge in the 1980s, but now is way past his prime and only wrestles for various independent wrestling promotions in Elizabeth, New Jersey. After one of these shows, a promoter proposes a rematch ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Superbly acted and directed; emotionally powerful; dark; gritty Disadvantages: Lack of real action
The Wrestler is the story of Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a professional wrestler now 20 years past his best, his career having peaked with a huge match with "The Ayatollah" at Madison Square Garden. 20 years on, we meet Randy living in the back of his van, having been locked out of his trailer as he owes the rent, working part time in a supermarket, pumped full of steroids and wrestling in school halls in front of meagre crowds at the weekends - far ... ...although he seems to have the respect of his wrestling peers, they offer little in the way of true friendship or support. After one particularly gruelling match, Randy collapses, suffering a heart attack and the doctors are forced to perform a heart bypass, meaning that Randy's wrestling career is effectively over. Without his wrestling career to shape his identity, Randy is lost and alone. The film documents his attempts to reshape his life, working ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Fantastic insight into a life of an ordinary man who was loved by many Disadvantages: Nil
...amazed. How naive is that? The names of Jackie Pallo, Mick McManus, Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks and Sonny Boy Zimba were very familiar in our household and I can still hear the sounds of the referee shouting...Wunaah, toowah, threeyah.... and so on. So it is no surprise to my family that I wanted to see this film. Before I start to review the movie let me tell you that this isn't a sports film as such even though you do see wrestling matches. More ... ...wait and see...... The movie portrays the story of a professional wrestler who reached the top of his career in the 80's. His name is Randy 'The Ram' Robinson. The wrestler he sold out to was no other than "The Ayatollah" in an epic match in Madison Square Garden. Twenty years down the line he is still hitting the ropes but this time to small crowds of about a hundred a time, at venues like High School gyms and VFW auditoriums. Randy and his comrades ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Great lead turn Disadvantages: Wrestling in general.
...come club. He was paying the bongo drums and smoking a cigarette that didn't look like normal ones (could have been menthol!). I said hi and shook his hand, complimenting him on Angel Heart and asked if he still had the stunning Lisa Bonnets number, which, in his drunken state and mock Lord of the Manor English accent, bizarrely produced (which I wasn't brave enough to ring!). He then continued banging the drums with a pleasant smile on his face ... ...until his head plopped on the said bongo and he fell asleep, but still smoking that cigarette. I think it's fair to say Mickey has lived the life. They say you get the face you deserve at 40, a face that was punched fairly heavily in the 90s as he turned his back on Hollywood and went on to be a professional fighter for a spell, and unbeaten in 8 fights no less. Well he is New York Irish American after all, one that wears an IRA tattoo and gave to ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Excellent story, Great acting, Interesting settings, Fab characters Disadvantages: None
...~ In the Ring ~
The Wrestler has been released for a while now and this weekend I had a chance to watch it. I have wanted to see this since it was released on DVD but was not too sure if it would be any good. This Friday as my boyfriend was on call we decided to go to blockbuster and rented a few films for the evening. We both had not seen it and thought it looked pretty good. The idea of a film being based around wrestling was a bit of an off put but I used to be a slight fan when I was younger of the WWF wrestling. I remember sitting watching my favourite ?The Rock? and thought that the film could be quite interesting. The plot sounded relatively good and the fact that we have just brought a new tele and PS3 which has surround sound and buy-ray we wanted to test how good it was. The cover is quite simple but effective...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Great behind the scenes piece Disadvantages: It'd have been nice to have a follow up on how they were doing later
...This is an independantly made documentary following the fortunes of Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) run by Rick Bassman (who does several short pieces to camera about each of the wrestlers) and some of its workers at the time. Made shooting from October 2000 until May 2001 many of the UPW roster are featured but the director does eventually decide to focus on Christopher Daniels, Mikey Henderson, Jon Heidenreich and Drzan McBee.
This is a good purchase for fans of WWE or TNA as a few of the wrestlers featured will eventually go on to be stars in those federations (in fact Rob Van Dam and Samoa Joe are both featured in the opening few minutes, you will also get to see John Cena as "The Prototype" at the start of his wrestling career).
McBee is the 1st person to be featured and came from a Cheerleading background with no previous...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Features some top talent Disadvantages: Needs more than that
...Intercontintental Championship action Shelton Benjamin defended his title against the man he won it off 6 months prior, 'Y2J' Chris Jericho. In my opinion both these men are fantastic wrestlers with a great aura around them. Benjamin is very much a wrestler to look out for in the future, whilst Jericho should be the new Rock, yet the writers did not use him properly and since this moment Jericho has left WWE to pursue a music career with the band 'Fozzy'.
The highly respected Tag Team titles (NOT, sorry to copy Borat) were also defended by William Regal and Tajiri in a tag team turmoil match where the odds were really stacked against them. The rules are that two teams start the match and then when a team is eliminated a new team comes into the match until all teams have been eliminated and only one is left. Regal/Tajiri started the match against now...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Official Website: http://www.thewrestlermovie.com/index.html
Consumer Advice: Contains strong bloody wrestling violence, strong language, sex and drug use
Video Category: Feature Film
Country Of Origin: United States of America
Plot: Darren Aronofsky directs this searing drama about a past-his-prime wrestler who tries to regain his earlier fame. Mickey Rourke (ANGEL HEART, SIN CITY) continues a career revival of his own as the fighter, while Oscar winner Marisa Tomei (IN THE BEDROOM, MY COUSIN VINNY) and Evan Rachel Wood (THIRTEEN, DOWN IN THE VALLEY) co-star. Rourke is Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, a one-time superstar of professional wrestling who's down on his luck, estranged from his teenage daughter (Wood) and clinging onto the remains of his career by appearing in brutally violent bouts that barely pay him enough to make the rent on his trailer park home. It soon becomes clear that his broken body is incapable of following through the determination of his plucky spirit and when he succumbs to a heart attack he finds himself at a crossroads where he must decide whether or not to continue his futile pursuit of celebrity or make amends with those that he has alienated.
Release details
Studio(s): OPTIMUM RELEASING, OPTIMUM HOME ENTERTAINMENT; ELEVATION SALES; TECHNICOLOR DISTRIBUTION SERVICES
DVD Region: DVD, Blu-ray
Languages
Main Language: English
Technical information
Special Features: Inside The Ring Featurette, Interview with Mickey Rourke, Theatrical Trailer
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital
Award information
BAFTA: Best Actor 2009 (Mickey Rourke)
DVD Description
Darren Aronofsky directs this searing drama about a past-his-prime wrestler who tries to regain his earlier fame. Mickey Rourke (ANGEL HEART, SIN CITY) continues a career revival of his own as the fighter, while Oscar winner Marisa Tomei (IN THE BEDROOM, MY COUSIN VINNY) and Evan Rachel Wood (THIRTEEN, DOWN IN THE VALLEY) co-star. Rourke is Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, a one-time superstar of professional wrestling who's down on his luck, estranged from his teenage daughter (Wood) and clinging onto the remains of his career by appearing in brutally violent bouts that barely pay him enough to make the rent on his trailer park home. It soon becomes clear that his broken body is incapable of following through the determination of his plucky spirit and when he succumbs to a heart attack he finds himself at a crossroads where he must decide whether or not to continue his futile pursuit of celebrity or make amends with those that he has alienated.
After his somewhat ambitious flirtation with the science fiction genre in THE FOUNTAIN, director Aronofsky returns to Earth and back to the emotional human drama of his earlier REQUIEM FOR A DREAM. Having fallen from grace in his own professional life, Rourke delivers a towering performance as Robinson; a man whose career trajectory is so close to the actor's own, the film is given a staggering level of poignancy.
Professional reviews
Review: An emotional smackdown. Rourke's never been better, and the change of pace and texture suits Aronofsky perfectly. The RAGING BULL of wrestling movies? Oh, go on then (Empire, 01/12/2008)
Aronofsky's most authentic film refuses to ridicule the amateur wrestling circuit, while Rourke's portrait of a has-been will surely be the comeback of the year (Total Film, 08/01/2009)
Rourke creates a galvanizing, humorous, deeply moving portrait that instantly takes its place among the great, iconic screen performances (Variety, 08/01/2009)
This product has not yet been reviewed. 
02.11.2009
11.02.2009
