Directed by American filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, The Wrestler is a gem of a small-scale movie that has the ability to endear itself to its viewers despite never attempting to be a mainstream or an overtly sentimentalized film. The movie tells the story of Randy “The Ram” Robinson, once a huge superstar, but now a has-been wrestler who shows his skills in unflattering rings and struggling for a regular flow of income. The greatest aspect of the movie is that, because it has a very simple premise, it manages to present an intimate and moving portrayal of the life of the physically bruised and battered man desperately trying to cling to his lost glory days, striving to mend the fractured relationship with his estranged daughter, and hoping to settle down with a stripper he likes spending his time with. Mickey Rourke has given a stupendous performance as the eponymous wrestler – a middle-aged, defeated, severely lonely man living in an emotional vacuum; the only thing he knows he’s good at is performing dangerous, gravity-defying stunts. The touching story boasts of layered characterizations, understated though extremely palpable pathos and humanism, a truly magnificent final shot, and a terrific original song by Bruce Springsteen.
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Genre: Drama/Psychological Drama
Language: English
Country: US
