THE WRESTLER
If you are a child of the 80’s, wrestling is part of you. Even if you didn’t watch the matches you were bombarded with the toys, the Saturday morning cartoon, or those Macho Man Slim Jim ads. Darren Aronofsky’s latest opus The Wrestler prays on that fact.
Since Pi I have been a fan of Aronofsky’s work. He could be one of very few American directors audiences continue to talk about, and is constantly injecting excitement in any project he is involved in (next up: an remake of the 80’s classic Robocop). His pictures are always fascinatingly existential, and his use of images remarkable. The Wrestler may be Aronofsky’s clearest and least allegorical work up to date - however, considering its subject matter it may have difficulty attracting a large audience. Wrestling has been overshadowed by the MMA franchises and isn’t very popular; moreover it has always had the image of a somewhat typical brainless “blood sport”. I fear that this image won’t help selling an art-film; in fact, this picture is a very existentialist and thoughtful piece of cinema. It affects more than just a business.
While on first impression The Wrestler may seem pretty clear and linear, one still can’t cut it down to a few words. It can be seen various ways. Some will take away the story of an aging wrestler and showgirl who try to get back into life, others a film about show business using those who are part of it, without really caring about them. Comparing to former Aronofsky creations the picture language of The Wrestler is rougher. The visual language and romantic shots from The Fountain are gone, so is the fast pace editing of Requiem for a Dream. This realist style fits the theme of this film perfectly; a large section is shot over the shoulder of star Mickey Rourke, climaxing into an unsettling p.o.v. of his character.
Consistent with Aronofsky’s canon is The Wrestler’s excellent casting. I can’t think of any better choice for The Ram than Mickey Rourke - he is dynamite, and you really come to feel that his own story dovetails into that of his character. Marisa Tomei is a wonderful choice as an aging stripper whose broken character is a reflection of what The Ram is going through. What is seemingly set up as a Rocky- like story turns out to be far more complex; Rourke is amazing as a used up fighter who at times is hard to love, and it is that dimension to this character that shines. You root for The Ram as much as you despise the choices he makes. Rounding out the great cast is Evan Rachel Wood, delivering a beautiful and haunting performance as The Ram’s estranged daughter.
The Wrestler is a very deep and moving film, and as incredibly heavy and emotionally draining as we’ve come to expect from Aronofsky. It’s neither as shocking as Requiem for a Dream nor as majestic as The Fountain, but I do not think it aims for either - it is an excellent and original drama, and the best movie I’ve seen so far this year.
Watson Bradshaw, Guest Critic - 12-01-08
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