For the fans of Darren Aronofksy, the wrestler may come as a surprise. After all, the director is known for his stunning visual and intricate editing style used in films such as Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and the Fountain. A story of a down-and-out wrestler on his way to redemption? And he’s got Mickey Rourke to play the lead? An actor who’s been out of the major scene for the last ten years? What was Aronofsky thinking? The end result, of course, is so satisfying that I wanted to “ram-jam” someone.

The film revolves around Randy “The Ram” Robinson, an all-American professional wrestler who was at once the pinnacle of his success. It has been twenty years since his glory-days and now he is wrestling on the weekends for many independent wrestling circuits while on weekdays he works at a supermarket bus-boy. He doesn’t make enough money to keep himself in his trailer park home and is constantly reminded of his glory days. After a heart bypass, he wants to re-kindle his relationship with his estranged daughter while trying to woe his love, a stripper named Cassidy whose real name is Pam who also has a son. Hustling and struggling to survive, a match opportunity comes his way that made him famous twenty years ago. However, things are a lot different than twenty years ago and Randy’s story continues.

What truly is remarkable about this film is how minimalistic the film really is. There isn’t any superb editing that we’re used to from Aronofsky or an extremely stylistic cinematography that he’s known for. He truly keeps the film to a level where the audience sees Randy in a realistic view. Mickey Rourke is nothing short of phenomenal in this film. Half of the film I had to try to remember that he was an actor trying to play the role. Every part of Rourke was Randy “The Ram’ Robinson. Marisa Tomei, who plays Cassidy was exceptional as well. Cassidy and Randy are both characters that are hustling everyday to survive while trying to keep their dreams alive. Her dialogue of Randy being the “sacrificial lamb” as if he’s Jesus really brings to light the fact of how much Randy has sacrificed to being a wrestler. Randy’s strained relationship with his daughter also works effectively to show a parallel of how long Mickey Rourke has been disconnected from the film world. Evan Rachel Wood proves to be the weakest link in the central characters and even at that, the film proves to have more heart and honesty than countless films made last year.

At the end of the film, I could not help but cheer Randy’s name. The overwhelming wave of warmth and the connection I felt to the character made me jump off my bed and body slam my girlfriend, okay maybe not body slam my girlfriend but you guys catch my drift. Please do yourself a favor and watch the Wrestler. You will not be disappointed and if you are, you can body slam me.

Please be advised that this film is:

Rated R for violence, sexuality/nudity, language and some drug use. 

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