Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to my movie review.
Last year, i've reviewed a film called "Fighting with My Family", a film that was based on true story of Paige's origin to becoming the most famous Diva in WWE where she quickly won a champion belt after Wrestlemania. Aside of use of comedy (for the most part), its a pretty good film based on true story that i recommend to watch as a fan of WWE, biographical or for pro-wrestling fans like me.
Since i love wrestling, i figured "Why review another film about wrestling, not just that, but all about survive without risking a life or even being a respectful outside of square-circle?".
"The Wrestler" is a 2008 wrestling drama film that was produced/directed by Darren Aronofsky, co-produced by Scott Franklin and written by Robert Siegel (The same writer who later wrote "The Founder", another one that i reviewed).
Like i said, im always fascinating to hear some movies based on real life for the origins, the re-imagine and follow the element to be accurate. But when it comes to "The Wrestler", it wasn't feel to be real life, its a fictional story for how the wrestler feels after wrestled for the past decade of his life and such, which im quite curious to know in the whole movie, as a fan of wrestling.
So, with all that said, will this movie could bring us back in the ring that we know and loved, or being in current generation of wrestling will never be the same since the 80's?
Well, lets find out.
The Story
As i said, this isn't a movie based on a true story, its a fiction and can feel that it's almost real and rather understandable that we might relating.
The plot focuses on one of the most familiar wrestler from the 80's named Randy "The Ram" Robinson, who's been wrestling many times since his past. Fast forward to present time (specifically 2008), he's been in indie wrestling for weekends, working on Supermarket in part-time and hanging out with a stripper named Cassidy. But one day, after getting intense work out with steroid he injected, he was in hardcore wrestling match (let me tell ya, even though wrestling is fake, but with hardcore one, it got too real with violent, just saying) and after the match, he fell flat on the ground in pain that he was taken to the hospital, which the doctor tells him that he has a heart attack due to his age, which Randy (or his identity name "Robin Ramzinski") has to retiring his wrestling without any risk, but despite he likes to have a conversation with Cassidy (aka Pam outside of strip) and his short-lived reunion of his daughter Stephanie, he has a hard time for his life changing to either stay retire or going back to wrestling, due to a anniversary rematch with "The Ayatollah".
I find the story of this movie is pretty good and probably understandable when we always having a health problem to stay away from wrestling of perhaps getting chaotic outside of wrestling, even if Randy was a familiar face in the 80's. Where many films back then is all about conquering the dream, but this one all about trying to survive and trying to move away from wrestling for different life, but bounced back for life struggling reason. I mean we all know when you're over the 50's that you like to wrestle, but not too much with life risking for injuries and substance abuse, which i guess it explained why we've seen plenty of wrestlers who're younger in different and new generation level in wrestling industries, but i getting ahead of myself for the older life of wrestling. Surprisingly, the movie doesn't have a subplot through out the movie, since its mainly focuses on Randy's life, but it's also worth to say that it was well-written, especially with the scene where Randy reunites with his daughter in the walking to explain why he's not just in risk, but also why he's left alone that he's trying to focus on family, which is exactly what he's trying to give the advice with Cassidy, but as always, it bounced back. Even though it got bored for like a long minutes, but as an 1 hour and 50 minute film, its not bad.
Despite its a little bit slow and the lack of subplot, but with a movie dealing with health problem and a difficulty option of either wait to going to wrestling or retiring is impressively well-written.
The Presentation
For the movie's look and setting, it looks pretty good for say the least.
For starter, the filming location is quite nice to looking at, especially the filming between Randy and his daughter Stephanie walking together in Asbury Park boardwalk and an abandoned place, just to give a fond memory together. The rest of location are pretty good and somewhat beautiful, since it was filmed in New Jersey, though they also filmed other than Jersey like New York and Philadelphia.
Though the movie has a chemistry between Randy and Cassidy, since she's a stripper, its not secret it also filmed strip club with gratuitous nudity and pole dances. I mean i know its an R-Rated movie, but the use of strip club is kinda unnecessary for distraction, though i also understand that its for Cassidy's development where she is at the start.
But of course, the highlight of the movie is wrestling for the title suggest. Though most movies with main actor are replaced by a stuntman or actual wrestler, in this movie the actor Mickey Rourke (played Randy Robinson) was trained to wrestling with real pro wrestlers to working out such as Jon Trosky (better known as Supreme Lee Great), Tom Farra and even retired wrestler named Afa AnoaŹ»i (who's best known with "The Wild Samoans"). The wrestling scenes are pretty good to look at and not to mention feels like a real pro-wrestling and where Mickey was wrestled, he did a pretty good job, even if i feel bad for him for nearly risking his life with a headbutt dive (aka Ram Jam) or even been in extreme match, since he's more than 50 year old back then.
Not to mention, i wonder if anybody got seriously hurt in some wrestling scenes, specially with hardcore wrestling style, its pretty risky and rather painful to look at, i guess it explain the reason why im not a fanboy brutal hardcore match with the use of barbwires, staple, thumbtacks and even glasses.
Not to mention, there are several moments that are done with improvisation for good reason, like there's the locker room with real wrestlers chatting and socializing and even in supermarket with real customers, which they wanted to make realism and it showed for good reason as i said.
And one little bonus, there's a scene with Randy and a kid playing with NES with a game called "Wrestle Jam '88", even though its fictional game and im pretty sure its an inspired from WWF Wrestlemania on NES.
Aside of use of strip club and my least favorite type of wrestling, but the movie's presentation is pretty good to watch.
The Characters
For the characters in the movie, i find them to be also well-written, relating and have a sympathy.
First is Randy "The Ram" Robinson (played by Mickey Rourke), a wrestler from the 80's who's living down from hill due to his heart condition. He's a very fascinating protagonist in the movie that we feel sorry for him, we like to see him in good time of wrestling or even see his daughter more, since he's trying to stay positive without causing trouble on his way. And not to mention, with Mickey Rourke's performance of Randy, it was a nice fit for how we feel, routing and enjoyed his acing ability. I guess its no wonder he was nominated for the Oscar's best actor.
Next is Pam, aka Cassidy (played Marisa Tomei), a stripper and Randy's good friend. She's may or may not as memorable as Randy, but she's also pretty good, being lovely and even helping our main wrestler for advice without any risk, such as reuniting with his daughter, since she has a son, but live with him connective without separation. Like Rourke, Marisa did a pretty good work of her role, and once again, its now wonder she was nominated from various rewards back then.
And lastly there's Stephanie Ramzinski (played by Evan Rachel Wood, aka Queen Iduna in Frozen 2), Even though she may not be unnecessary for the story, but she was used in order for a reunion attempt from Randy, even though she's no longer cared about her father since she's being abandoned when she was young, which is a not the best way as a father who's completely gone for wrestling. And as always, Rachel Wood has also did a nice work whether she has a changing heart or careless about her father.
The rest of the characters aren't as anything else to say such as Lenny (played by Mark Margolis) who's a neighbor, Wayne (played by Todd Barry) who's the boss of supermarket and The Ayatollah/Bob (played by Ernest Miller, not only an actor, but he's a former wrestler too) who's Randy's historic opponent back in the old days with evil Iran gimmick. And lastly, there are several wrestlers cameo that you can recognized if your a fan of pro-wrestling, one of them that i noticed is Jay Lethal and Ron Killings (better known as R-Truth in WWE).
Spoiler Alert, for those you haven't seen it or didn't care
The final act gets rather interesting and heart warming in the end (little bit).
After his poor attempt of dinner with his daughter Stephanie for messy reason, Randy had enough for being a failure that he's moving on from his daughter, rage quiting his job (Damn... No need to be overreacting for quitting when you get recognized) and of course, going back to wrestling for a rematch deal with The Ayatollah, since Randy only care about going in the ring in front of his fans and good respect from fellow wrestlers in the locker room, despite he was begged by Cassidy to stay home based on his heart condition that he ignored. As he enters in the show "Ring of Honor", he's giving a speech for his return and why he cared so much and finally going to wrestle against his familiar The Ayatollah, despite his heart condition that he has to be careful and finish him off with "Ram Jam".
It was quite unexpected for his change to going back where he always like, since i think we can agree that wrestling is his life-blood since his golden age. Its not the request from the promoter of Ring of Honor, it came from his heart that he wanted to going back, even though it could be risky for his life, but it was satisfied to getting his rematch one last time.
And now for my final opinion of this film
Overall, "The Wrestler" is a pretty good film to watch, as a fan of pro-wrestling. The story is well-written, the presentation is nice for the sets and wrestling, the characters are fascinating and the acting are pretty damn good. Even though the movie could be a little bit boring and the eye-distracting gratuitous nudity, but its still a good movie.
If you're a fan of pro-wrestling and being familiar with some great actors, i'd say check this film, but hopefully you won't cry by the end of the movie. I mean, i actually didn't cried while watching, i was happy and satisfy in conclusion.
For my rating, im gonna give this a 9/10. Its a little bit of perfect film (no pun attended for Mr. Perfect or Chris Jericho's meme), but i enjoyed for the most part.
So everyone, as a fan of pro-wrestling, i've seen some that i enjoyed like not just "The Wrestler", but also "Fighting with my Family". Though there are other movies with wrestler that are good to utter crap, like its not if im watching something to giving me even more eye-distracting and maybe uncomfortable to look at.
And lastly, if you love wrestling, please, don't try this at home. Unless if you're one of those numbnuts with Backyard Wrestling...!
Either way, So this ends of my movie review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.
Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.
