010909 The Wrestler

I had the privilege to see The Wrestler this morning for $5 (though it was worth much more) @ the AMC Marina theaters.  This was a highly anticipated film for me ever since I saw the trailer a few months ago.  I'd go as far to say that this is the best film of 2008 (since it was released last year). The last film I saw in theaters that left me speechless was There Will Be Blood, but even I know a few words came out of my mouth while exiting; the wrestler pretty much left me winded.  

Mickey Rourke made a credible return to the big screen as a somber, lonesome, damn near washed-up has been, yet humble, small town professional wrestler.  He completely lost himself within the compassionate character Randy "The Ram" Robinson and gave an uncanny performance that pretty much brought me to tears.  This is truly unorthodox in respect to Darren Aronofsky's previous works, and probably his best thus far. The entire film felt like a documentary due to the trailing shots behind Rourke, as well as the handful of semi-shaky handheld shots, and the early 90's film grain. The writing was superb yet simple with a few wrestling colloquialisms and the story was heartfelt, gripping, and delivered flawlessly. 

Despite the pseudo-distraught and solitary themes, the film is about passion and sacrifice with a couple of linear references to accompany those themes. Growing up as an avid wrestling fan myself, I admired the passion and sheer commitment "The Ram" had for wrestling which would not have been plausible were it not for Rourke's passion for the character and his work. 

The relationships between the characters were artificial, yet we wanted them to coexist. It made me realize that we are and forever will be unbalanced with one another as far as intimacy and relativeness go.  We will always wear a mask and disguise our inconveniences with desire and never fully understand one another no matter what the relationship is. We were and are strangers nonetheless.