The Wrestler
 

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

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

Movie looks damn good.

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

Can't wait

I'm really excited to see it.

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.

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

Hmm. I seriously would consider seeing this movie.

*Walks by*

I'd like to see it.

*Walks by*

Suuuuuuure it looks good.

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

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

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/st...ine&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.

Wow, awesome article.

I really want to see this movie.

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

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

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

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

Where can I get it?

I was drunk. :(

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

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

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

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?

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

That is my take on it.

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

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.

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

:foc:

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!

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

The screener is up on demonoid

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


Could have at least posted the link, douche!

So sad. I'm pretty spent.

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

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.

demonoid wont let me register

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

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.

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.

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

Fixed that shit for you brotha

I shall have this movie in 22 minutes.

downloading right now

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

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

Finished downloading overnight. Will watch it today.

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

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:

National release in 2 weeks pal.

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

Pretty good film, just finished watching it.

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

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

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

lol

I just downloaded it and watched it.

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

How is that a spoiler?

It tells something that happens in the movie.

It doesn't spoil anything though?

It spoils a scene in the movie.

And now I take my leave.

what Lock Jaw said.

Incredible movie

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.

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

Great fucking movie.

Wow...amazing movie

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



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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

My God she's so hot.

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

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.

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 gotta ask...

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.

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

I think it was clear that he
who would think otherwise is beyond me.

Fuck I loved this movie even more the more I think about it.

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

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.

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.

Well, you know...

You can make up any fantasy ending you wish.

(lol @ the story though)

I demand someone use the Ram Jam

I'm using it right now.


Ram Jam aka Fleshlight.

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.