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Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Mark Margolis, Gregg Bello ... see more see more... , Wass W. Stevens , Todd Barry , Judah Friedlander , Armin Amiri , Donnetta Lavinia Grays , Ernest Miller , Ajay Naidu

His sense of identity fading into nothingness after the spotlights dim and he experiences a close brush with mortality, a retired wrestler begins to evaluate his life while considering the comeback th... read more read more...at could very well kill him in director Darren Aronofsky's poignant portrait of an introspective former superstar in the twilight of his career. Back in his heyday, wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was an icon in the ring. His image immortalized in action figures and video games, he would headline arenas across the globe. Twenty years later, those glory days have passed, and Randy is forced to earn his keep by brawling before handfuls of fans in high school gyms and community centers around New Jersey. In the wake of a heart attack, the former icon attempts to earn a little extra cash while working in a deli and making an effort to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter, Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood). Yet, despite Randy's continued attempts at convincing local stripper Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) to settle down with him in his humble trailer, the ring still calls to him. Later, when the prospect of a high-profile rematch with his longtime nemesis presents itself, Randy is forced to weigh his mortality against his desire to hear the crowd roar one last time. The Wrestler snagged two Oscar nominations, one for Best Actor (Rourke) and one for Best Supporting Actress (Tomei). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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86% liked it

119,704 ratings

Critics

98% liked it

216 critics

R, 1 hr. 49 min.

Directed by: Darren Aronofsky

Release Date: September 5, 2008

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DVD Release Date: April 21, 2009

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Stats: 16,538 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (16,538)

  • fb1463751009
    March 9, 2012
    fb1463751009
    "The Wrestler" has almost nothing to do with wrestling... typically a Darren Aronofsky thing. The narrative is traditionally linear and simple, but it is very raw and riveting. An authentic, bona fide acting performance by Mickey Rourke. There's a surreal amount of veracity that ... read moreeverything carries whether it is heightened from the camerawork, the screenplay, or the pitch dark tones the narrative throws at the audience. It's a downer for sure, but it doesn't mean Darren Aronofsky doesn't succeed. The audience are emotionally plunged into the life of Mickey Rourke's character, Randy "The Ram" Robinson due to fine direction and screenplay. This is by far the most simplistic yet compelling film Darren Aronofsky's ever done. It's his best work yet.
  • phubbs1
    February 9, 2012
    phubbs1
    Mickey Rourke makes his career movie, a moving, emotional down to gritty earth story of an old sore wrestler who tries to make it with a failing heart and lonely life.

    This is a really decent film with good performances and a insightful look into the fake wrestling world. Its ac... read moretually kinda funny really...grown men in tights grappling with each other, wearing make up and whats more its actually a very popular 'sport' in the US. This baffles me, do grown up's know its fake? I can forgive kids obviously but grown adults? will this film scar some people for life with its spoilers of the wrestling world?

    Behind the scenes the film shows how the whole setup works, from drugs and muscle enchancing to scripts and fake injuries...its all there yet why its so popular is another story. The plot isn't too original, the sleazy stripper that needs to be won over, the come back, the bad father who battles to keep his daughter by his side, we've seen it before in many sports flicks but this looks fresh and realistic.
    The film is almost in a documentary style, following 'the Ram' around as he pushes through life, the camera is shaky and handheld, there aren't any special effects and their is alot of real human emotion that all people from all walks of life can relate to, its very touching and at times slightly depressing to be honest.

    Rourke himself looks pretty shit these days...a bloated hotdog with a scarred, stretched face from too much surgery, he shifts around like a brick with a heavy suntan and delivers speech much like an 80's Stallone. His performance isn't the greatest in the world but he does make you believe he could be a wrestler and you do feel for him all the way through the film, you want his life to work out, in this sense he acts well but what he shows isn't too far from the 'Marv' character in 'Sin City', a large mumbling hulk.

    Its still a very good film due to its portrayal of real life and real problems which so many skip around or fantasize too much. The ending is too sad really, I would of liked to see a better finish for the Ram...I guess Mickey did his job well cos I'm upset about his characters final scene.
  • moonrivers
    January 16, 2012
    moonrivers
    An intense character study about the difference between the dreams we have for life versus the often brutal reality (that cuts like a dull knife - on a good day) and that inevitable realisational moment of, as they say, agonizing reappraisal when we finally acknowledge the differ... read moreence, with atomic performances by the main cast to carry the message home. Exemplary filmmaking.
  • fb791220692
    July 16, 2011
    fb791220692
    Mickey Rourke's critically-lauded performance carries this straightforward and often predictable film from beginning to end, making it one of Darren Aronofsky's greatest creations.
  • DreamExtractor
    June 16, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    Without a doubt Mickey Rourkes best performance ever. He brings such drama, humor, and muscle to the screen that without him it would be just another underdog movie. Marissa Tomei is always great and she really deserved the Oscar nomination. The plot is that of Rocky Balboa, b... read moreut instead of it being a series, its a single amazing dramatic masterpiece that people will watch many times. Another thing I loved was the look of the film, it had a fuzzy screen the whole time and it gave it a sort of documentary feel to it like were witnessing him trying to win his life back. The wrestling scenes were amazingly realistic znd Darren Aronofsky obviously did his research on wrestling. This isnt just a underdog movie, its about a man who worked hard, made mistakes, and earned his own life and ended it doing it what he loved best, wrestling. Darren Aronofskys best film tied with Black Swan, both amazing but I thought it was funny how he went to wrestling movie to ballerina movie, lol.
  • clintervin
    May 25, 2011
    clintervin
    The gut-wrenching, heart-on-your-sleeve drama The Wrestler is one of my favorite films of all time. Mickey Rourke doesn't play the title character, he embodies him. He plays an aging hero, broke and broken down yet worshipped by sentimental fans and children. His glory days are l... read moreong past, but he cannot let it go. Marisa Tomei is perfectly cast as his love interest; in my opinion, there has never been such perfect, inspired casting, acting, writing, and direction. Every word and scene in this drama is completely believable. These characters have had their day in the sun, and now some struggle to exist (Tomei) while others (Rourke's Ram) struggle to regain a glimpse of their glorious past. That's the allure of "Ram-Ayatollah 2," trying to recreate past glory when today is so incredibly bleak. It's a problem of Illusion v. Reality. Both the strip club and the wrestling arena offer patrons an ideal, but the reality behind the glitter is heartbreaking.

    Is this film melodramatic? No, it never lapses into sentimentality. Every time things appear to be turning toward Ram's favor, the rug is jerked out from under him, especially with his daughter's relationship. Its all consistent within the characters though. Randy "the Ram" Robinson consistently chooses his passion for the ring above anything else; his health, his family, his girlfriend, anything. He is the portrait of determination beyond any reason or common sense. To be true to itself, this story couldn't have a happy ending. Everything Mickey Rourke's ever done, on screen and off, culminates in this performance, one of the most memorable in screen history.
  • jamers2011
    April 24, 2011
    jamers2011
    The Wrestler is an excellent film. One of the most depressing, yet utterly real dramas I have ever seen. Mickey Rourke gives an ASTOUNDING performance as Randy "The Ram" Robinson. He is worthy of every praise he received and i'm so thrilled he was able to come away with at least ... read morean Oscar nomination. Alongside Rourke is the stunning Marisa Tomei as the aging stripper, Cassidy. Another one of the powerful performances in the film. Evan Rachel Wood gives a stunning performance also, as much of the films emotional power comes from her character. The cinematography is top notch, brilliantly capturing the depressing tone of the film. The soundtrack is great. Everything is great. Fantastic, powerful, moving, memorable film by Darren Aronofsky!
  • stevenecarrier
    April 3, 2011
    stevenecarrier
    "The Wrestler" is an extraordinary film. It's far and away Darren Aronofsky's best work because he lets Randy the Ram speak for himself. Aronofsky is not concerning himself with flashy directorial signatures (which hindered much of "Black Swan"). He is concerned with documenting.... read more Mickey Rourke turns in a performance unlike any other. It's rare to see such a hyper-masculine man portraying such honest and true emotions. We haven't seen work like this since Paul Newman or Marlon Brando. Mix in some ace cinematography, artful editing and a duo of tremendous supporting performances in Marisa Tomei and Even Rachel Wood and "The Wrestler" is a deeply affecting, multifaceted and unforgettable experience. Aronofsky needs to be making more films like this. This was a large step forward for him.
  • fb732260458
    March 19, 2011
    fb732260458
    Mickey Rourke has finally emerged from the deep, dark pits of hell where he's been trapped for decades (personally and professionally) - and from this quite prolonged hiatus he unleashes the performance of a life-time. This movie will cripple your very soul and leave you to cry y... read moreourself to sleep for ages to come. A must-see.
  • ironclad1609
    February 10, 2011
    ironclad1609
    Mickey Rourke's Wrestler performance is already one of the outstanding, iconic acting jobs of the last few decades, one of the most convincing performances I've ever seen. It actually made me feel like watching a documentary at times, forgetting I am watching Rourke play a role. ... read moreAronofsky's directing and the camera work adds to that impression. While there are a few interesting looks behind the curtain of pro wrestling, that's not really what this film is about. It's a close look at a man struggling in life, being no longer able to do what he likes to do best. The fact that he is a decent human being, deserving respect and treating others likewise doesn't make his failing easier to watch. The realistic feeling and the outstanding acting performances still make us watch and care. Thankfully, the ending is somewhat open and does not offer the most obvious solution. Impressing, sad and touching.

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Critic Reviews

Amy Biancolli
January 16, 2009
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

Predictable as it is, this sad, strong beast of a film keeps us pinned to the mat with the strength of its compassion and the overpowering force of its central performance. Full Review

Roger Moore
January 14, 2009
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

The chance to play that poignant confusion is the real prize that Rourke and Tomei earn in The Wrestler. Full Review

Tom Maurstad
January 9, 2009
Tom Maurstad, Dallas Morning News

The movie presses too hard and too often, but the performances are strong enough to withstand the melodramatic impulses, and the themes of isolation and self-destructiveness are too sharply realized t... Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
January 9, 2009
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

The Wrestler has the intimacy of a fly-on-the-wall documentary. No stunt men were harmed -- or used -- in the fight sequences. But the drama makes for vibrant art. Full Review

Tom Long
January 9, 2009
Tom Long, Detroit News

With uncommon intelligence and brutal honesty, The Wrestler examines the cost, and need, of battle. Full Review

Colin Covert
January 9, 2009
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

The Wrestler is strong, confident filmmaking. It shows you everything you need to know, and never whispers in your ear what you're supposed to feel about it. Full Review

Steven Rea
January 9, 2009
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

If this ragged but near-brilliant movie is about a guy trying to resurrect his career, so too is the performance at its heart. Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz
January 8, 2009
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

The Wrestler isn't a perfect movie, but Rourke's performance gives it the impact of an atomic elbow drop. Full Review

J. R. Jones
January 5, 2009
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

The famously downbeat Aronofsky captures the grimy texture of life at the bummed-out bottom of the wrestling circuit, but the center of the movie is Rourke's unimpeachable performance as a man who exu... Full Review

John Anderson
December 29, 2008
John Anderson, Washington Post

Imagining someone other than the beatifically battered Mickey Rourke in the title role of The Wrestler would be like picturing someone other than John Malkovich in Being John Malkovich. Full Review

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Facts

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    • Randy "The Ram" Robinson: I used to try to pretend that you didn't exist, but I can't. You're my girl. You're my little girl. And now, I'm an old broken down piece of meat... and I'm alone. And I deserve to be all alone. I just don't want you to hate me.
    • Randy "The Ram" Robinson: Bet'chr ass man, Guns N' Roses! Rules
    • Randy "The Ram" Robinson: Then that Cobain pussy had to come around & ruin it all.
    • Randy "The Ram" Robinson: As times goes by, as times goes by, they say 'he's washed up', 'he's finished', 'he's a loser', 'he's all through'. You know what? The only one that's going to tell me when I'm through doing my thing is you people here.
    • Randy "The Ram" Robinson: Hey lady - you want some fucking cheese? Get your own fucking cheese!
    • Randy "The Ram" Robinson: The only place I get hurt is out there. [Randy points away from the ring]
    • Randy "The Ram" Robinson: Fresh? Fresh as monkey's breath, brother!
    • Randy "The Ram" Robinson: Hey, spring chicken, what can I get for you?
    • Randy "The Ram" Robinson: When you live hard and you play hard and burn the candle at both ends... in this life, you can lose everything you love, everything that loves you. Alot of people told me that I'd never wrestle again, they said "he's washed up", "he's finished" , "he's a loser", "he's all through". You know what? The only ones gonna tell me when I'm through doing my thing, is you people here. You people here... you people here. You're my family.
    • Randy "The Ram" Robinson: I just want to tell you, I'm the one who was supposed to take care of everything. I'm the one who was supposed to make everything okay for everybody. It just didn't work out like that. And I left. I left you. You never did anything wrong. I used to try to forget about you. I used to try to pretend that you didn't exist, but I can't. You're my girl. You're my little girl. And now, I'm an old broken down piece of meat... and I'm alone. And I deserve to be all alone. I just don't want you to hate me.
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