The Wrestler

[RP]

I really wanna see this. Probably the first movie in a while i'm gunna see in theatres. I heard Mickey Rourke was god in this movie

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

It looks well done... hopefully it's better than Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man

[Destor]

Movie looks damn good.

[Dark-Slicer Diago]

I agree Destor, I think I'll go see it myself.

[Jeritron]

Can't wait

[screech]

I'm really excited to see it.

[Lock Jaw]

All of his other movies have been excellent, and this one combines with the topic of wrestling, which I enjoy, so it should make it even more excellent.

[Nark Order]

According to IMDB, Vince Russo makes a cameo in the movie. Get ready for a Marissa Tomei on a pole match in the film.

[PorkSoda]

Hmm. I seriously would consider seeing this movie.

*Walks by*

I'd like to see it.

*Walks by*

Suuuuuuure it looks good.

[RP]

According to IMDB, Vince Russo makes a cameo in the movie. Get ready for a Marissa Tomei on a pole match in the film.

Marissa Tomei has had a pole match in the last 3 or 4 movies she's made.

[DaveWadding]

Great article by the Sports Guy on this movie & wrestling in general:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3773747

The Sports Guy
Mickey Rourke could've been a contender. The Wrestler has a shot at being one too.
by Bill Simmons

I recently sat down to watch an advance copy of The Wrestler by myself. Imagine my surprise when Chris Benoit showed up two minutes into the movie. And he brought enough friends to fill my living room. Eddie Guerrero. Brian Pillman. The British Bulldog. Ravishing Rick Rude. Mr. Perfect. It was an endless stream. I didn't have to worry about feeding them or getting them a drink, though. That's the thing about dead people—they make great guests.

The movie is highlighted by a Mickey Rourke performance that can only be described as incredible. We see superb acting all the time, but only occasionally does someone enter the "I have no idea who else could have pulled that character off" zone. (More on that later.) A washed-up, down-on-his-luck movie star from the '80s portraying a washed-up, down-on-his-luck wrestling star from the '80s? Perfect. You'd want to find someone like Mickey Rourke to play Randy "The Ram" Robinson, right? Well, how about Mickey Rourke?

Sure! Absolutely! Is he alive?

Yes, he is. And if he hadn't been such an insufferable jerk, if his life hadn't fallen apart, if he had valued his gift instead of running from it—shunning the spotlight, carousing, disfiguring his face during a bizarre boxing career, pushing away everyone who cared about him—maybe Rourke would have been the next DeNiro instead of a cautionary tale. But for years, he was no different from Doc Gooden or Derrick Coleman, someone blessed with prodigious talent who simply refused to foster it. Now, suddenly, he stands for something else: redemption, hope, 15th chances, life's continuous surprises. Mickey Rourke—Mickey Rourke!—is going to be nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. He may even win.

To be honest, I still can't figure out how we didn't get Nicolas Cage in this movie. For $15 million, he gladly would have bleached his Con Air hairdo, bulked up to Kiss of Death proportions, made a few Nic Cage faces—and given us a thoroughly mediocre film. Director Darren Aronofsky should be applauded for avoiding the big-budget route, instead scaling down to an indie and rolling the dice with Rourke. Because Rourke carries this movie. Every frame.

Mickey looks and acts like a washed-up wrestler. He nails every mortifying moment, like the scene in which The Ram, waiting for fans at a depressing sports memorabilia show, glances around the room at the other pathetic ex-wrestlers and sees a little too much of himself in each of them. Or the scene in which doctors pull thumbtacks and staples out of his back after a vicious match—it's shot so tight, Rourke has to be taking all the bumps—and he can barely hold himself up. The movie is filmed in the grittiest way, almost like a documentary. You feel every cough, every wince, every clothesline.

There is a broader theme addressed here: the allure of fame and how poorly so many people react when it's taken away. The film captures the underbelly of washed-up celebrity culture, the irony of fans who snap pictures of ex-stars only because they meant something 20 years ago. And the filmmakers know the danger of being trapped in the past, when you've executed Plan A, lived it, loved it, made some mistakes, ultimately screwed everything up and then can't come up with a Plan B … so you keep trying to relive Plan A.

Without giving away any crucial plot points, I loved the ending (perfect), the matches (jarringly authentic), the wrestling shoptalk (dead on) and Rourke's moving final speech (a classic "Is he talking about the character or himself?" moment that has to be seen to be believed). Having said all that, I need a few more viewings before I can rank it on my all-time sports-movie list. Will it suck me in at 3 a.m. after I've just watched it three weeks before? Will I stick around for an extra 20 minutes just to catch an ending I've already enjoyed and digested 30 times? That's when you know.

The Wrestler might get there; it might not. But I know I won't forget Rourke's work here. The hardest achievement in acting—in my opinion, anyway—is nailing a role that absolutely nobody else could have played. Pacino owned Michael Corleone … but DeNiro could have owned it as well. Who else, though, but Val Kilmer could have nailed Jim Morrison? Does anyone besides Will Ferrell pull off Ron Burgundy? Could anyone other than Sly Stallone play Rocky? It's something you can learn only after the fact.

The studios would never admit it, but the real reason screenwriter William Goldman famously said of Hollywood, "Nobody knows anything," is that—wait for it—nobody knows anything. In 1994, nobody could have predicted Shawshank would one day be an iconic movie—and believe me, that would never have happened if Danny Glover had been Red instead of Morgan Freeman. Same goes for Rourke knocking it out of the park here. At some point during the film you'll find yourself wondering why these memorable performances don't happen more often.

The short answer is: They can't. Why? Because nobody knows anything.

Of course, The Wrestler resonates for a more sinister reason, too. Pro wrestling chews up and spits out its athletes with grueling schedules, brutal physical punishment and a tacit understanding that performance enhancers are okay—as are greenies, sleeping pills and painkillers. These guys destroy their bodies, then their hearts give out and they die. Google the phrase "dead wrestlers," and your computer will start to smoke like an overtaxed car engine.

The mainstream media don't care because the general public doesn't care. After all, it's a fake sport with scripted endings. Why should it matter to us when wrestlers are found dead in their beds or seen limping around on two fake hips? Why should it matter to us that there's a list of modern wrestlers who died before the age of 50—many of them famous—and that the list is more than 70 names long? Hey, there's always another wave of guys on the way. Always. They'll do whatever it takes to get ahead, just like the last generation did.

I followed wrestling all through my 20s, and continued to order the major PPVs every year … right until Benoit murdered his wife, suffocated his son and took his own life, in 2007. That was it for me. Considered one of the best performers in the business, Benoit spent so many years wrecking his body, working through concussions and poisoning himself with enhancers and painkillers that he eventually lost his marbles. His story was so shocking that nobody believed his sport would ever recover. Last time I checked, the WWE was still chugging along—and its stars looked as ripped as ever.

As someone who counts Superfly Snuka's steel cage leap against Don Muraco as one of the most exciting moments of his childhood, I'd never root against wrestling. I've just moved on. For now. The sport can have me back when it institutes a pension plan for retired wrestlers, when there's an off-season that mirrors those of the major sports so bodies can recover, when it cracks down on all enhancers, when someone explains to me why I shouldn't care that so many ghosts showed up for my private screening.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that The Wrestler has a sad ending. Like it could have ended any other way.

[Downunder]

Wow, awesome article.

I really want to see this movie.

[YOUR Hero]

If I hadn't read that article, I wouldn't even think about seeing this movie.

[Johnny Rockstar]

Good to see Rourke finally making the best of his talent.

[G]

Downloaded it yesterday, will watch it tonight I guess. Haven't seen any previews, only what's been said on the radio.

[Requiem]

8:37:24 PM DownwardSpiralDS: the wrestler isnt out yet
8:37:40 PM Requiem2k4: G said he just downloaded it :@
8:37:47 PM DownwardSpiralDS: its not out until 2009
8:38:01 PM Requiem2k4: he is a huge liar then :@
8:38:05 PM DownwardSpiralDS: hes a dirty liar
8:38:14 PM DownwardSpiralDS: one thing ive learned is to never trust him
8:38:30 PM DownwardSpiralDS: one time he told me that he loved avril lavene or however you spell her name

[Bad Company]

Where can I get it?

[G]

8:37:24 PM DownwardSpiralDS: the wrestler isnt out yet
8:37:40 PM Requiem2k4: G said he just downloaded it :@
8:37:47 PM DownwardSpiralDS: its not out until 2009
8:38:01 PM Requiem2k4: he is a huge liar then :@
8:38:05 PM DownwardSpiralDS: hes a dirty liar
8:38:14 PM DownwardSpiralDS: one thing ive learned is to never trust him
8:38:30 PM DownwardSpiralDS: one time he told me that he loved avril lavene or however you spell her name



I was drunk. :(

[Indifferent Clox]

it's out now in select theaters. Iwant this movie so bad.

[Requiem]

AHA.. he said that you said you were high. ANOTHER REASON NOT TO TRUST YOU, YOU LIAR MC LIAR PANTS

[G]

I might have been. Either way, I was impaired.

[Johnny Vegas]

Maybe i'm the only one, but what EXACTLY is the movie about? Like, the plot. I mean i know its about wrestling in some way, shape or form, but what else?

[Destor]

A man down on his luck , past his prime trying to make in this world. One day at a time.

[Destor]

That is my take on it.

[Rob]

This is the first movie in ages I'll be going out of my way to see.

[PapaGeorgio]

Same here Rob, though not terribly out of my way. It comes out in Chicago on Friday. Chicago is like a 45 minute to hour drive for me. But I took a weeks vacation from work so will just go during one of those days with some friends.

[YOUR Hero]

Maybe i'm the only one, but what EXACTLY is the movie about? Like, the plot. I mean i know its about wrestling in some way, shape or form, but what else?
The article gives a good synosis, without giving away the plot. Try readin'

[Synopsis]

The article gives a good synosis, without giving away the plot. Try readin'

:foc:

[RP]

I was gunna go see this movie so i looked up the show times. Its not even playing in Indiana. I thought that was nuts. So i looked at the box office numbers on yahoo. It wasnt on the top 10. I'm like wtf this looks fantastic. So i expand the list and come to find out, its only made 225,000$ so far. I'm like wtf. After further investigation, according to Yahoo, this movie is only playing in 4 theatres.

again

WTF!

[Jeritron]

Going to see it tomorrow. It's been out here in Boston for a few days now

[RoXer]

The screener is up on demonoid

[G]

http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/1740309/13457988/


Could have at least posted the link, douche!

[Boomer]

So sad. I'm pretty spent.

[PapaGeorgio]

Got a copy of it, tryign to hold off though. Few friends and I gonna watch it tonight, but I def want to just watch it now. ARGH

[Requiem]

Great fucking movie. I don't even watch wrestling, and wasn't sure what to expect going into it except from what that article said. Rourke pulled it together brilliantly. He played the role with heart.

[RP]

demonoid wont let me register

[YOUR Hero]

Great fucking movie. I don't even watch wrestling, and wasn't sure what to expect going into it except from what that article said. Rourke pulled it together brilliantly. He played the role with heart.

like to hear this... need to get this(...)

[ron the dial]

brilliant movie. i've been waiting for a movie like this for a long time, and it really was delivered here. rourke is so believable in his role it's hard not to imagine him as having actually been a professional wrestler. it might have even made me cry a little bit.

[PapaGeorgio]

I agree with like everything WeX said. My only real complaint in all seriousness was not enough Ernest The Cat Miller. But otherwise everything you hear about the movie is dead on.

[Destor]

This was the truest representation of wrestling I've ver seen. On top of that its was a great film, subject matter aside.

[Requiem]

The fucking hardcore match.. jesus christ man..

[Downunder]

demonoid wont let me register

Fixed that shit for you brotha

[Downunder]

I shall have this movie in 22 minutes.

[RP]

downloading right now

[#BROKEN Hasney]

Just finished watching, good god that film is so well done :wavesad:

[Tornado]

As long as this get a full release (HA!) in the UK, I will definatly go and see it. Otherwise, I will gladly make a journey to a Cinema thats showing it. Cineworld (one of our biggest cinema chains) has it on their coming soon list for 9th Jan, so hopefully my local one will show it.

[#BROKEN Hasney]

When I was coming home on the bus, I seen a lot a posters in Manchester for it.

[Tornado]

Driving Directions to MANCHESTER, Greater Manchester, UK from WORTHING, West Sussex UK.

276 Miles - about 4hours 39mins.




Yeahhhhhhh it'll be on somewhere closer.

[G]

Finished downloading overnight. Will watch it today.

[#BROKEN Hasney]

Driving Directions to MANCHESTER, Greater Manchester, UK from WORTHING, West Sussex UK.

276 Miles - about 4hours 39mins.




Yeahhhhhhh it'll be on somewhere closer.





Yeah, what I mean is they were bothering to advertise it so it may get a wider release than I woulda guessed

[CSL]

Yeah, there's posters knocking around town here too. Had this downloaded for a few days but still not watched yet

[G]

Been watching it today. However, I went out to go shopping, came back and my fucking comuter was shut off, so now I have to find where I was. :mad:

[Rob]

Driving Directions to MANCHESTER, Greater Manchester, UK from WORTHING, West Sussex UK.

276 Miles - about 4hours 39mins.




Yeahhhhhhh it'll be on somewhere closer.




National release in 2 weeks pal.

[G]

Pretty good movie. Every time Marisa was on, I kept thinking of George Costanza. :(

[Bad Company]

Pretty good film, just finished watching it.

[Kapoutman]

Saw it yesterday. It's the greatest movie I have seen in a long time. It is very depressing, but totally worth it.

[Blitz]

Watched this last night with a bunch of wrestlers. Made them all feel like killing themselves.

[Blue Demon]

It's not being released here as far as I can tell :|

[Destor]

Watched this last night with a bunch of wrestlers. Made them all feel like killing themselves.
lol

[Champion of Europa]

I just downloaded it and watched it.

Oh my god. So amazing. I almost cried like a little bitch.

[Destor]

And for the record the shot of him coming out of "the curtain" in the Deli was awesome.

[G]

How is that a spoiler?

[Lock Jaw]

It tells something that happens in the movie.

[G]

It doesn't spoil anything though?

[Lock Jaw]

It spoils a scene in the movie.

[Lock Jaw]

It gives away the fact that he winds up working in the deli, and tells of a great scene in the movie. People may not wish to hear about this stuff, and rather go into it blind.

Putting on boots is not much of a spoiler in a movie called The Wrestler, and also it is not particularly awesome, and so people would not care about it.

And now I take my leave.

[Destor]

what Lock Jaw said.

[FakeLaser]

Incredible movie

[Champion of Europa]

Went to see it at an art theater so I could see it not from my computer, and it still ruled.

Three of my friends loved it. My girlfriend "fucking hated it."

But she likes Never Been Kissed, so fuck her.

[Dave Youell]

Necro Butcher being the most humble and gentle man in the entire world backstage was worth the admission alone

[Chavo Classic]

Very good film, and I was engaged throughout. This is probably one of the few films I would go the cinema more than once to see, and will also buy on DVD. Go see

[Downunder]

Great fucking movie.

[Innovator]

Wow...amazing movie

[XL]

Right, I'm gonna risk a lynching here but I thought the film was boring.

Yeah, the performances were great. As said everywhere Rourke really embodies the character. I enjoyed the parallel between wrestling and stripping - that both characters are essentially selling their bodies for meat and are both past their respective prime.

I even get the end of the film - where as most where like WTF? That regardless of the fact that it will kill him, keep him apart from the woman he loves and make his daughter hate him he won't ever give up wrestling. Well that was my take on it.

I get everything the film is saying. I just found it real boring (apart from a few scenes). And I'm not one of those guys that only likes films if they're directed by McG or Michael Mann and are one long action scene - quite the opposite infact.

[Ogen]

I come all the way through this thread thinking I'm alone and XL saves the day, it was alright not seeing the major hype over it, it wiled away an afternoon and was decent but nothing spectacular at all, 6.5/10.

[The Mackem]

Maybe expected too much from the film, enjoyed it though. Can't think of anything else wrestling related that comes close.

[Nark Order]

Depressing as fuck. I don't cry in movies and I was there.

[Triple A]

Wow. Just saw this tonight. Incredible. I loved it in every way possible.

[The Mackem]

It was quite a sad film but never felt like crying, despite the fact that I was there with my girlfriend so I could have got away with it. It felt a bit rushed in places for me, glad I saw it though and definitely worth going to see.

[RP]

Marisa Tomei is like a fine bottle of wine thats gets better as it ages.

My God she's so hot.

[The Mackem]

LOL at the fireman outfit and how random that scene before seemed. I think the whole audience gasped.

[Team Sheep]

Went to see it tonight. It was very engaging I agree, and absolutely fantastic for a low budget film. But I'm the same as Mackem, think I expected too much from it from all the hype I heard.

[NeanderCarl]

I can see how non-wrestling fans could think this is an amazing movie because they think they are a part of a big expose, they're now in on the secret of the wrestling star afterlife... but to us who follow the scene, it is nothing we didn't already know. And, to be honest, other than bein a work of fiction with great performances, it doesn't offer anything new that Beyond The Mat hasn't given us.

To outsiders, the movie is a surprise, a revelation and a gritty, sobering eye-opener. To wrestling fans, it is just a well-made depiction of what we've already seen and heard.

Watched it with a non-wrestling fan and he really enjoyed it though. So did I, for that matter, but he was more shocked than me.

[XL]

I gotta ask...

Do you guys think The Ram died on impact?

I've already expressed my take on how the film ended, but a friend of mine took it that he died right there and then.

[NeanderCarl]

Highlight, as I haven't bothered to work out the Spoiler thingy yet.

According to an interview with either Aronofsky or the scriptwriter (I forget which) they claimed that the Ram does indeed die on impact, that was the implication in the build-up.

I mean, they left it open to interpretation so you can draw your own conclusions. Or maybe it was a cynical move to leave the door open for The Wrestler 2, but I highly doubt it.

As we never see it, we do not know, therefore whatever you believe is the ending of the movie to you. If you want to believe he died then and there, then that's the ending of the movie for you. If you wanna believe he kept going the way he was going, then believe that as well.

[Destor]

It was clear that he died who would think otherwise is beyond me.

[Lock Jaw]

I think it was clear that he
Survived and learned an important life lesson. He then reformed his ways, and patched things up with his daughter. He then went on to try to marry Pam, but she was concerned about her son. In one fell swoop he wins over the son and Pam by writing a best-selling autobiography that changes the face of the world. He marries Pam, and with the money from the book he manages to move the four of them to a comfortable suburban home where they all lived happily-ever-after.who would think otherwise is beyond me.

[Triple A]

Yeah he def died. I am so glad it ended that way. Like none of the unrealistic cliché stuff really worked out and he died doing what he loved. Fuck I loved this movie even more the more I think about it.

[CSL]

I didn't take it as 'he died'. I took at as he's never gonna be able to step away, no matter who or what it costs him and he knows that now

[NeanderCarl]

It was clear that he survived, won the match and signed a lucrative 5 year deal with TNA who would think otherwise is beyond me.

[Destor]

You guys seriously need to bone up on your cinema. I bet a lot of movies are "open for inturpritation" that shouldn't be for you.

[Destor]

good thing the writer "cleared it up" and proved I'm right though otheriwse I would actually had to argue this nonsense with you guys.

[NeanderCarl]

Well, you know...

If he had died on screen I think it may have tarnished the film a little. Even the implication that he dies following the move spoils it a little. Broken down wrestlers don't die in the main event of their big rematch on their highly promoted comeback show. Broken down wrestlers die in hotel rooms high on crack. I think a 'death in the ring' ending would have been a little too sensationalistic, a little too detached from the brilliant reality depicted to that point, and despite hardly being a fairytale ending would still have reeked of a "big Hollywood finale".

As it is open to interpretation, I'd like to think that the Ram indeed dies, as a consequence of his lifestyle and his actions, but not right then and there in the ring, but down the road, in some cheap motel. Heart attack, bish bash bosh, quite write-up by Ryan Clark next to the link *** Click HERE to see THE RAM'S HOT WIDOW, NIPPLE FULLY EXPOSED!!! She's a STRIPPER???! You won't believe your eyes!!! *** and the legacy of Randy 'The Ram' Robinson is quickly applied with an asterix and added to Marc Mero's infamous "List". The end.

[Destor]

You can make up any fantasy ending you wish.

[Destor]

(lol @ the story though)

[Lock Jaw]

It's not him dying or living that matters. Its the fact that he was willing to die and took that leap elbows first.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

It's not him dying or living that matters. Its the fact that he was willing to die and took that leap elbows first.

[Innovator]

I demand someone use the Ram Jam

[G]

I'm using it right now.


Ram Jam aka Fleshlight.

[RatedGSuperstar]

Don't know whether to put this in this thread, or one of the other various The Wrestler threads, but apparently Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei got Academy Award nominations for Best Leading Actor and Best Supporting Actress. Pretty cool honor, even if neither has a snowball's chance in hell of winning the award. With all the ass-kissing over Benjamin Button, I don't see how he's going to beat Brad Pitt.

[Impact!]

Incredible movie. Astounding...

[Triple A]

He probably will win Best Actor and he should. Brad Pitt was not very good at all imo.

[wwe2222]

I can see how non-wrestling fans could think this is an amazing movie because they think they are a part of a big expose, they're now in on the secret of the wrestling star afterlife... but to us who follow the scene, it is nothing we didn't already know. And, to be honest, other than bein a work of fiction with great performances, it doesn't offer anything new that Beyond The Mat hasn't given us.

To outsiders, the movie is a surprise, a revelation and a gritty, sobering eye-opener. To wrestling fans, it is just a well-made depiction of what we've already seen and heard.

Watched it with a non-wrestling fan and he really enjoyed it though. So did I, for that matter, but he was more shocked than me.


I dont think it was trying to be anything like Beyond the Mat. It barely even had any wrestling in it that I would classify it trying to show behind the scenens of how wrestling works.

[NeanderCarl]

I didn't say it was like Beyond The Mat. I'm saying Beyond The Mat and its kind have already exposed to us, the wrestling fans, most of the things that surprise/enthrall the non-wrestling fans with this movie.

And, come on, the whole Ram-daughter relationship is eerily reminiscent of Jake Roberts.

Also, I seem to be the only person who found the whole daughter storyline to be underdeveloped and grating. Evan Rachel Wood wasn't as great as a lot of people have been saying, in my view.

[wwe2222]

I didn't say it was like Beyond The Mat. I'm saying Beyond The Mat and its kind have already exposed to us, the wrestling fans, most of the things that surprise/enthrall the non-wrestling fans with this movie.

And, come on, the whole Ram-daughter relationship is eerily reminiscent of Jake Roberts.

Also, I seem to be the only person who found the whole daughter storyline to be underdeveloped and grating. Evan Rachel Wood wasn't as great as a lot of people have been saying, in my view.

I agree with you on the daughter aspect. Completely underdeveloped and rushed.

[The Mackem]

You guys seriously need to bone up on your cinema. I bet a lot of movies are "open for inturpritation" that shouldn't be for you.

Hey while everyone is doing that, you can bone up on your spelling :p

[El Capitano Gatisto]

I didn't say it was like Beyond The Mat. I'm saying Beyond The Mat and its kind have already exposed to us, the wrestling fans, most of the things that surprise/enthrall the non-wrestling fans with this movie.

And, come on, the whole Ram-daughter relationship is eerily reminiscent of Jake Roberts.

Also, I seem to be the only person who found the whole daughter storyline to be underdeveloped and grating. Evan Rachel Wood wasn't as great as a lot of people have been saying, in my view.

I don't think most people are seeing it as a surprising expose of the world of wrestling. They are seeing it as a story, because they have heard it is a good story and that it has a brilliant performance by Mickey Rourke.

I haven't seen it yet, I hope to soon.

[The Mackem]

The one thing I had to explain to my girlfriend was the blading aspect.

She thought he was going to use it against his opponent.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Yeah a girl from work saw it and she was asking me about that and some of the hardcore match stuff, but otherwise the wrestling wasn't really the point, it was a film she heard might be good.

[Destor]

Hey while everyone is doing that, you can bone up on your spelling :pI agree with this statement.

[Dave Youell]

Slightly confused as to how

Snorting coke and nailing a hottie all night doesn't kill you, yet a splash off the top does?

[Mr. Monday Morning]

Slightly confused as to how

Snorting coke and nailing a hottie all night doesn't kill you, yet a splash off the top does?

When he saw the doc he specifically said that it was the physical exertion of wrestling that he needed to stay away from. He'd probably done so much booze & coke over the years it barely had any effect on him.

And hey, he's an old man. How do you know the sex lasted longer than the match? ;)

[NeanderCarl]

I don't think most people are seeing it as a surprising expose of the world of wrestling. They are seeing it as a story, because they have heard it is a good story and that it has a brilliant performance by Mickey Rourke.

I haven't seen it yet, I hope to soon.

I don't mean an expose of the inner workings of the business, I meant more an expose of what becomes of these big stars when they are thrown on the scrapheap.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

I don't mean an expose of the inner workings of the business, I meant more an expose of what becomes of these big stars when they are thrown on the scrapheap.

Yeah you're not quite getting the point...

[Nark Order]

I didn't take it as 'he died'. I took at as he's never gonna be able to step away, no matter who or what it costs him and he knows that now

Same. I took it as he's never going to learn his lesson and that he would continue on destroying himself until the day he dies.

[NeanderCarl]

Yeah you're not quite getting the point...

Which is?

[Triple A]

Marisa Tomei looked like she smelled real bad through the whole movie.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Which is?

The important part of the movie is not the wrestling. It's about his character.

The key part about the portrayal of the wrestling was that it made the movie authentic as opposed to cheesey.... but it was not supposed to be a groundbreaking movie about wrestling or even what happens to its broken down stars from the past.

The point of the story was the Ram, you're supposed to feel sorry for him because he's a good guy whose life fell apart.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Without even seeing it, I would guess it is about a man sacrificing his body and his family life for adulation of strangers and how fuckle/fleeting this can be i.e. is a washed-up sports star film.

[Mr. Monday Morning]

The point of the story was the Ram, you're supposed to feel sorry for him because he's a good guy whose life fell apart.

He's not necessarily a 'good' guy. If you think about it he's actually pretty much a deadbeat.

[ClockShot]

Got back from this a little while ago. Amazing film. Kind of wished it went a little longer. And hour and 45 minutes really blew by.

And I always keep thinking. That could have been Nick Cage in that role.

[CSL]

Are you suggesting Mr. Cage could possibly have sucked all life and character out of this film?

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Nicolas Cage is a good actor when he needs to be. He could have grown the hair long and beefed up and been Cameron Poe again.

[Jeritron]

I think Mickey was perfect for the role and I'm glad the change was made. I will give Nicholas Cage his due credit though. He's now infamous for being a terrible actor in terrible movies, but deep down he is a quite talented actor.

His performance in Leaving Las Vegas was just as epic as Rourke's is here.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

In addition to Leaving Las Vegas: Lord of War, Bringing Out The Dead, Raising Arizona, Matchstick Men, Adaption. Probably more I'm forgetting. Con Air and The Rock are pretty good action shows too.

[Triple A]

Nic Cage is great, yes. Mickey Rourke was perfect in this though.

[DaveWadding]

The theatre by my house got this. I am gonna see it Friday morning.

[Vastardikai]

I saw it Monday, after work.

I was headbanging to "Balls to the Wall."

I still have "Metal Health (Bang Your Head" stuck in my head.

[Heyman]

Some the movie tonight: Few things.

1) Mickey Rourke did an awesome job.

2) Strange ending but I think the implication was that he DID in fact, die on impact.

3) Marisa Tomei was fucking hot and made my penis erect.

4) I agree with Triple A that it was refreshing to NOT see a homosexual "happily ever after" ending.

I genuinely felt a bit bad for the guy that he ultimately did NOT make amends with his daughter.

Overall - great movie.

[Jeritron]

lol at hiding that spoiler and not the rest

[RP]

Cage has the oddest hair when he grows it long and does movies. His hair line really bothers me and makes me not wanna watch the movie. Con-Air is the lone exception to this.

[XL]

LOL at the idea of someone's hairline putting you off a movie.

[DaveWadding]

My theater was full of old people...you know the "Oscar watcher" types.

The hardcore stuff made me wince...I can only imagine what it made all the old squares do.

Fantastic movie though.

[Downunder]

I saw it Monday, after work.

I was headbanging to "Balls to the Wall."

I still have "Metal Health (Bang Your Head" stuck in my head.

The soundtrack was great.

[DrA]

I loved this movie. Probably the best movie I saw in 2008 even though I saw it in 2009.

[jindrak]

Marisa Tomei :drool::drool::drool::drool::drool::drool::drool::drool::drool:

[Wolfpack423]

The Wrestler was a great movie. Mickey Rourke did a phenomenal job. I would have enjoyed seeing what Nicolas Cage could do with the film if he stayed on, but apparently Cage was the one that told the Darren Aronofsky to go ahead with Rourke, he fits the bill better. Some scenes such as the broken down piece of meat felt as if he was doing a shoot on himself. I liked Evan Rachel Wood's character, however, wish there was more development for her character. I also enjoyed seeing WXW in the movie. When it was situated in Allentown, PA I used to go to the shows with my dad and my brother. It moved to Flordia now so I have to watch the Netcast.

[Haze]

Bought the DVD gonna be watching it today. :D

[Xero]

Think I'm going to watch it again. Missed it in the theaters but picked it up on release day. Ashamed I missed it in theaters, too. Such an awesome movie.

[D Mac]

It on Blu Ray High Def is awesome.

[Gonzo]

I saw this a couple weeks ago. Made a comment in the movie rating thread but just saw this thread.

I thought this was great. I haven't been into wrestling in years but this was an awesome story, even if you're not a wrestling fan. Rourke was the perfect casting.

[Haze]

Just watched it...gonna watch it again. :D:D:D

[James Steele]

I downloaded and watched it yesterday, and I love this movie. The soundtrack was perfect, the acting was perfect, and everything just clicked and worked so well together in this movie.

[Stickman]

I finally saw this last night and thought it was a good movie but not a great movie. Maybe I'm just let down from the hype of how great it was but I just didn't think it was incredible.

It wasn't bad by any stretch, I'd give it a solid 8/10 and Rourke definately was great.

[Savio]

Only thing I didn't like is that Russo said Randy had the strap? When he is past his prime. seemed like a slip. Something else I didn't like but i forgot.

[Jeritron]

That would mean the strap in that indy fed. His prime used to be a main eventer in "the bigtime", which obviously meant the WWF, or an equivalent for all intents and purposes in the fictional world of the movie.

[Savio]

yeah I understand that but I think when washed up wrestler go to the indy feds they mostly put new talent over in title situations. (Unless you are mick foley and you wrestle for TNA)

[Xero]

Or you're Jerry Lynn and you wrestle for ROH.

[Xero]

Though to be fair, Jerry Lynn is pretty much The Ram overall.