starring Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, and Evan Rachel Wood
directed by Darren Aronofsky
written by Robert D. Siegel
I don't think that I have ever watched a wrestling match -- professional or the type of "professional" that Hulk Hogan calls himself. So this movie really didn't appeal to me in the least. It took me a long time to decide to finally watch...and I'm glad I did.
Plain and simple, I thought Mickey Rourke was amazing. Being a young kid in the 80s, I wasn't cognizant of Mickey's first "era" -- the era of the soft-core 9 1/2 Weeks and Angel Heart -- I've heard about both, but really have no desire to see either. So, knowing next to nothing about this guy, I came into this with a clean slate. But this was an incredible performance. Not only is Rourke incredibly believable in the ring as aging wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson, but he's gripping in his scenes with his estranged daughter Stephanie (Wood) and his stripper crush Cassidy (Tomei). I really could go on and on. I thought it was a stellar performance. By far, the best I've seen this year, male or female. (Granted, I didn't see Sean Penn's Milk, but I can't imagine I'd like it better than this, so I'm rooting for Rourke to get the Oscar.)
I never really thought of her in this way, but Marisa Tomei is sexy...and I swear that's not because her breasts are ever-present in this flick. There's something that kept me riveted whenever she was onscreen. Her scenes with Rourke felt very true (that's a compliment). As far as Oscar-worthy...I'm not so sure. There was nothing incredibly powerful and she didn't have any "wow" scenes. She played her role perfectly well and entirely believably. If that means Oscar, than so be it. The other lady in the flick, Evan Rachel Wood, has minimal screen time, but her scenes proved pivotal and quite emotional.
The flick isn't perfect. It lulls a bit in the middle and I'm not sure I cared for the ending. For those that saw it, what do you think happens at the end in terms of Rourke's relationship with Tomei?
Anyway, I loved director Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream, but was very disappointed with his disjointed and entirely odd The Fountain, so this was a great comeback for him, in my opinion.
Be warned that the wrestling scenes are quite intense...I definitely cringed multiple times during one of the fights, but if you can make it through them (which I imagine won't be something everyone can do), you'll be able to see a performance people will be talking about for years to come.
The RyMickey Rating: B+
I honestly didn't even think that he died...to me, that's kinda weak and cop-outish. It would kinda tie up things too neatly. I'm gonna block that from my mind and pretend you didn't say it.
ReplyDeleteYeah...I kinda thought Tomei was gone, too. There's a look that she gives when he gets hit for the first time in the last fight that makes me think that she's leaving, but I guess I just didn't want it to end like that which is why I thought I'd ask for opinions. The writer/director/Rourke himself really allowed me to connect with "The Ram" and I wanted him to be able to get the girl in the end.
Also, the fact that the middle fight was so hard to watch may be a turn off to those old fogey Oscar voters...I think Sean Penn gets the trophy because of it.