The Phantom Tollbooth - Movies Reviews Index


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Home Subscribe About Us Features News Album Reviews Movie Reviews Past Movies Movie Resources Concert Reviews Book Reviews Top 10 Contact Us	The Wrestler Stars: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood and Tommy Farra Director: Darren Aronofsky Scriptwriter: Robert Siegel Composer: Clint Mansell Cinematography: Maryse Alberti Fox Searchlight Rating: R for violence, nudity, language and scenes of drug use Running Length: 109 minutes Mickey Rourke is back with style. His performance as Randy “The Ram” Robinson, pro wrestler on the downhill slide, is nothing short of charismatic. Not only does Rourke have the physique of a wrestler, but the microphone is always with him, even catching his breath as he labors up and down stairs. We begin to see a man who is declining, but still wants to stay in a game where youth, endurance and the attention from a crowd are what counts. Even wrestler names are fearsome such as Inferno, Tommy Rotten, Mr. Magnificent and Lex Lethal. The story shows that The Ram lives in a trailer park and when he can’t pay his rent, sleeps in his van. Estranged from his college-age daughter, Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood) and friends with a local stripper, Cassidy (played by an energetic Marisa Tomei), The Ram goes from match to match, and each time, discusses what will happen in the ring beforehand. Planning is the key word here. You see that the younger wrestlers hold him in esteem and make him look good, but it is only a matter of time. When The Ram is felled by ill health, he looks around him to see his lonely existence, and with the advice of Cassidy, has contact with his daughter. It almost works, but when he goes on a drinking binge and forgets a dinner date, the relationship falls through. The Ram tries work in a deli to pay the rent, but is always tempted to go back into the ring. The lure of the crowd and attention is indeed, a siren’s call. There are humorous moments in this film provided by glimpses into what wrestlers do to keep their persona. Tanning salons, hair-dos, and in a hilarious scene, trips to the local hardware store for props in the ring…a ladder, window with glass, bug spray, a staple gun, fry pan covers, you name it. It’s hidden under the ring until needed. We are privy to a magicians bag of tricks to please the crowd. Rourke does this role well, and has already garnered a Best Actor nod from the Washington, D.C. Film Critics group. Not only does he have the physique, but his weather-beaten face, long bleached hair and scarred body lend credence to the character. When he heads for the ring, he bashes himself in the head with a chair to get in the mood. Here is a man who chose career over family and regrets it. Ram’s meltdown in a store is something to behold. Marisa Tomei, in the role of the pole-dancer, Cassidy, is rarely in a scene with clothes, and yet you aren’t staring, instead you see a woman who is unhappy in her profession and doing the best she can. Evan Rachel Wood’s role Ram’s daughter, is too forceful for my taste. We see her anger, but it doesn’t seem natural. Soundtrack by Clint Mansell gives us the grinding music of wrestler land, but it is Maryse Alberti’s photography with tracking camera shots that help make the film. The audience is there right behind the wrestler, waiting for something to come crashing down. In this case, it well may be Oscar nominations coming for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Screenplay. Copyright 2008 Marie Asner