Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) is an aging professional wrestler who headlined in the 80's. Now, past his prime, he works his way through the independent circuit and also working at a supermarket. When the opportunity of a life time arises, a 20th anniversary re-match against Randy's most notable opponent the Ayatollah (Ernest Miller) he cant refuse.Estranged from his daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood, Stephanie could possibly be a reference to WWE owner Vince McMahon's daughter) and unable to sustain any real relationships, Randy lives for the thrill of the show and the adoration of his fans. However, a heart attack forces him into retirement. As his sense of identity starts to slip away, he begins to evaluate the state of his life - trying to reconnect with his daughter, and striking up a blossoming romance with an exotic dancer called Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) who is ready to start a new life. Yet all this cannot compare to the allure of the ring and passion for his art, which threatens to pull Randy "The Ram" back into his world of wrestling.
The Wrestler has many points of interest in it to attract fans of both cinema and wrestling. It was Mickey Rourke's first major role in good few years. The whole film is a wet dream for students, actors and artist giving their artwork for free, hardly any budget, a tiny 35 day shooting schedule and then to get a masterpiece at the end of the day, winning and being nominated for a number of awards is just perfect for such a small film.
For the wrestlers, Micky Rourke was trained by WWE Hall of Famer Afa Anoa'i (Former tag team member of The Wild Samoans) a legendary trainer for his own company and the WWE. Anoa'i commented on Rourke's performance as being as better than eighty percent of the wrestlers wrestling in the WWE today.All of the wrestlers used in the film were in companies such as CZW, ROH and the NWA. No stuntmen were used for both the wrestlers and Rourke. Most notably of all the wrestlers is Dylan Keith Summers or Necro Butcher as he is known. He fought Rourke in the CZW arena. (The match with all the thumb tacks and staple gun.) He is an extreme wrestler who is well known for his willingness to participate in creative situations. The prosthetic leg scene is from a ECW show were a fan repeatedly asked someone to use his leg, so Tommy Dreamer used it against his opponent Test.
The main point were wrestling fans could relate too is to is how many wrestlers seemed to follow down the same road that Randy did. Lose of family connections (Usually wrestlers would be on the road for three hundred and sixty-five days a year.) drug use (Being involved in a competitive sport were appearance is always crucial.) The whole story seems very similar to wrestler Jake “The Snake” Roberts.
The Wrestler is full of guts and glory shots for old warhorses too love. It’ll bring masculine tears to the hardest of men if you can relate well with the story. It puts a submission hold on the heart, and doesn’t let go. We shall just have to see what Mickey Rourke's involvement at Wrestlemania 25, the grandest sports event of the year.
"The only place I get hurt is out there. The world don't give a shit about me."
For the Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTlQmqjBkRs
