The Wrestler

Went to see The Wrestler last night. For those of you not in the know, it is a film about, well, a Wrestler (see what they did with the title? Clever!) More than that, though, it is a film about a washed up wrestler. A past his sell by date Wrestler. As a subject for a film, well, it hardly screams “must-watch” to me.

The director of the piece, though, is one of the most interesting filmmakers out there at the moment. That said, his films tend to be, shall we say, intense. I’ve seen two of them. π is an odd, migraine inducing film that manages to present a scenario where the protagonist drilling a hole in his own head is actually the best thing he can do. And Requiem For A Dream presents the other side to addiction, rather than the faux glamorous idea presented in films such as Trainspotting. Addiction in that film is a world of limb amputations, brutal prison farms, nightmarish hallucinations, ECT and double headed dildos. So a Darren Aronofsky film about a washed up wrestler had the potential to be harrowing to say the least.

And don’t get me wrong, there are some brutal scenes. If you are squeamish, then the wrestling match involving the staple gun, the barbed wire and the glass will have cringing in your chair. Like wise, the wrestler’s meltdown on the Deli counter will also have you wincing and looking away from the screen.

Also, if you are expecting a clear cut resolution for the main characters, then you are watching the wrong film. Our wrestler friend doesn’t find redemption – in fact, it is strongly implied that the end of the film sees him facing his ultimate destruction. But despite the violence and despite the lack of a Hollywood ending, the piece is actually restrained and very sensitive. The world of the wrestler is neither glamorous nor awful. On so many levels the wrestler is content with his roles, and never seems happier than when he is talking to other would-be and washed up wrestlers, who all look to him both as a good man and as something of an icon.

The film also has some extraordinary performances within it, none more so than the central performance of Mickey Rourke. I suspect that Rourke was able to put some of his own experiences into playing a character past his prime and fighting to stay on top in a world that seems to have passed him by. Whatever Rourke’s methods, he produces a truly exceptional performance, that is striking, affecting and compelling all at the same time. He takes a character who could easily be turned into a villain or a comedic role, and instead makes him into a real person who is both likeable but deeply flawed. The wrestler is someone who wants to do what is right but is incapable of doing anything other than living in the moment.

The Wrestler is an exceptional film, and comes heartily recommended from me.