Full Movie Reviews
Rating of
3/4
"The Wrestler" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 03/11/2012
20 years after his hay day, Randy "The Ram" is still trying to nurse his broken body through the independent wrestling circuit when he suffers a heart attack that threatens his career. Maybe because it's because I'm English, or maybe because I don't have wheels on my home, I approached this film with a certain trepidation because I have absolutely no interest in wrestling, or sports movies in general.The plot is very much in the same vein as one of the million+ corny true life TV movies out there, but I must admit this film did win me over, basically for Mickey Rourke's incredibly honest performance for which he obviously drew on his own experiences as a professional boxer. It is the anti-sports movie, where instead of a small town guy making good, it is the story of a man who begins at …
Rating of
3.5/4
The Wrestler review
Daniel Corleone - wrote on 12/11/2011
Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke) gets hospitalized after a fight. Pam/Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) helps Ram find a gift for his daughter. The stunts were believable and transformation from the aging wrestler who didn't care to a sensitive father whose passion is to wrestle. Really enjoyed the "hardcore" match with the props. Its choreography, soundtrack and cast shines. The 80's reference was fun since this reviewer likewise enjoyed wrestling and the music of GN'R, Crue, etc. Bonus features were likewise a treat. One of the best lines from Ram - "I'm alone. And I deserve to be all alone. I just don't want you to hate me." "The only place I get hurt is out there. The world don't give a shit about me." Rourke really brought this film on his shoulders because of his stunning …
Rating of
3.5/4
The Wrestler, a Mr. E Movie Review
Mr. E Movie Review - wrote on 09/25/2009
The Wrestler, a Mr. E Movie Review
(Run time: 109 min. - Directed by: Darren Aronofsky - Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei)
The dramatic masterpiece The Wrestler has been called Mickey Rourke's comeback role. I say he just wasn't offered a role like this earlier. I mean this guy can act! He's raw, real, and charasmatic and The Wrestler is an awesome journey.
When wrestling superstar Randy "The Ram's" life starts it's decent 20 years after his prime, everything seems to crumble. He has a choice, he can either roll over and die, start a new humble journey, or just accept things the way they are and go out with a bang. Everything seems to be against him. His body is breaking down, he's broke, his daughter hates him, and his only friend outside of the ring is an aging, yet …
Rating of
N/A
The Wrestler did it for me
Muffin - wrote on 03/08/2009
True grappling fans will find this a great movie. Think of all the legends of the past like Jake the snake Roberts, Terry Funk, Scott Hall etc. Did they just hang up their boots & retire or do they continue to battle the addiction of the squared circle. This movie shows the darker side of wrestling, a side that we rarely get to see. Mickey portrays the part so well he almost made me believe that "THE RAM" was a real wrestler. A guy that was at the top of the mountain & is now busting his gut in the indy circut, fighting for a few dollars all because the ring is the only place he feels alive. It's great movie & Mickey portrays his character so well you end up sharing his pain. How he didn't win an oscar is beyond me.
If you enjoy the Rocky movies you'll love this.
Rating of
3.5/4
Characters Give The Wrestler All the Right Moves
Chris Kavan - wrote on 02/02/2009
Having been a Darren Aronofsky fan ever since Pi, I am now complete in my in my assessment that he can shape depressing into an art form. Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain and now The Wrestler. None of these films are what I would term uplifting, some are downright distressing, but I wouldn’t change a thing about them.
The Wrestler succeeds thanks to the outstanding performances and personal story line. Mickey Rourke as The Ram is simply amazing here – a sad, broken wrestler living a sad, broken life. Marisa Tomei is also a standout as his stripper/potential girlfriend who is herself reaching the breaking point in her chosen career.
The snapshots of Rourke’s life are spectacular, but I found myself wanting to see more. The handful of scenes with Evan Rachel Wood were …
Rating of
3.5/4
A great sports movie
Alex - wrote on 01/26/2009
Sitting here a day later, I really liked this movie. It may even be better than Slumdog Millionaire. Only a second viewing will tell. There are a lot of things that I like about this movie and there are many things that I am disappointed with. Still, it is an extremely enjoyable standard drama in which Darren Aronofsky pulls of a directorial feat.
The Good: The acting is superb. It is almost shot in semi documentary style, the camera always behind Rourke or the main character. This is not as innovative as his last films but still pretty cool. The wrestling scenes are gruesome and very enjoyable. I also liked the small town atmosphere. I felt like this could happen in any town. The grunge element really lent a hand to the overall picture. Also, the script has a long of …
Rating of
3/4
Wrestling at its finest
BryanFury - wrote on 01/11/2009
What the Wrestler brought to the table is an exclusive behind the scenes look on the hardships of a true champion in and out of the ring. Mickey Rourke played this washed out wrestler perfectly. You can even see it in his eyes, the glory and failures he had to endure playing this character. It's almost like he truly lived and breathe wrestling his whole life, which is as real as it can get. He even did the whole shebang of growing his hair long, dyeing it beach blond and even shaving his body hair. It’s just pretty amazing what he has to become and embodied it wholeheartedly. It goes to show how fine an actor he actually is, not just a load of muscle but a true acting genius. The movie for me definitely succeeded in all levels. The story is rich and the characters are real and …
Rating of
3/4
Very Good Performance from Rourke
Franz Patrick - wrote on 01/08/2009
I thought this film came out of nowhere because I never heard of it before the awards season. Since many critics gave it enthusiastic recommendations, I thought I’d check it out. I’ve never been that much of a big fan of Darren Aronofsky because his films start out really good but as they go on, they lose that powerful momentum that initially piqued my interest. “Requiem for a Dream” and “Pi” are perfect examples. That said, I think “The Wrestler” is one of his most consistent and touching films. Mickey Rourke is devastating as Randy “The Ram” Robinson and he deserves to be nominated for an Oscar. I’ve never seen him so broken down, trying his hardest not to scream out of frustration even though pretty much everything in his life is going wrong. Throughout the film, …
Rating of
4/4
Not so fake.
FZero - wrote on 09/09/2008
The Wrestler can be applied to many facets of life where one day you're on top, in demand by many and then your time has run its course and you're a nobody. It's also easy to make the connection to pro-sports with athletes coming in and out of retirement seemingly on a whim. Once the lights fade and the crowd goes silent the reality of life just doesn't compare.
Mickey Rourke owns this movie in the same way he owned Sin City with his limited screen time. He plays Randy 'The Ram' Robinson a washed up broken down wrestler that can only find work on low paying independent circuits and a grocery store which generates some of the best laughs to break up the gloomy atmosphere. This barely nets him enough money to continue living in his trailer park and paying for the steroids needed to …
