THE WRESTLER (2008) - Darren Aronofsky

Hollywood is full of comebacks. The rags to riches, to rags and back to riches story is not something consigned to fiction. And with the release of Darren Aronofsky’s latest film, The Wrestler, we may be witnessing a comeback that would be somewhat unbelievable if it were projected on screen. Mickey Rourke’s resurrection is bolstered by his performance as one-time wrestling superstar, Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson. The accolades have come thick and fast. But is the praise lavished upon the film justified?

Randy Robinson was once a professional wrestling superstar. He was the world champion, the people’s champion and a symbol for the United States of America. But he is well past his prime. His past glories have faded into almost obscurity and the only glimpse he has of his former glory is the occasional fan who looks for his autograph. The only action he sees is in the small, poorly-paid amateur circuit. For the most part, he is alone. The only companionship he has is in the form of a stripper called Cassidy. And that companionship is consigned to the club. And he has to pay for it. But an opportunity arises for Randy to regain some of his former glory. But his failing health stands in his way. He’s alone; his estranged daughter won’t talk to him. But he is just looking for somewhere to belong.



There is no doubt, the film rests on Mickey Rourke’s massive shoulders. He is in almost every frame of the film, and his performance needed to be close-on perfect. And, thankfully, it is. Rourke’s career became a train-wreck in the early nineties. Bored with acting, Rourke returned to his pre-acting passion, boxing. And it took it’s toll on Rourke. Both physically and when it came to his career. He turned down roles, and became almost unemployable. In the last few years, Steve Buscemi, Sean Penn and Robert Rodriguez have given Rourke choice roles in order to bring the actor out of the cold. But it is Aronofsky’s film that is the make or break for Rourke.

Thankfully for Rourke, his performance as Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson is fantastic. To use a cliché, it’s pretty much the role Rourke was born to play. Or at least, the role he has prepared for for the last fifteen years. Robinson is a broken down man. He is battle-scarred, run down and pretty much down on his luck. But he’s not a bad guy. For the most part, he’s a genuinely nice guy. It’d be too easy to make the character an unlikable kinda guy. But Rourke takes the blows, both physically and mentally with a wounded pride and this is what makes Robinson a compelling character.



Marisa Tomei plays Cassidy, the object of Robinson’s affections. Sure, she’s a stripper, but she’s far from the ‘hooker with a heart of gold’ type character you’d expect from the film. She is a mirror of The Ram. They both take off their clothes and are scruitinized for what they can do with their bodies. But the difference between them is, The Ram wants to return to his former glory. Cassidy wants out of the stripping business. She provides some comfort to Robinson. But she holds back. She can’t get too close to a customer. And Tomei balances these two sides very well.

Darren Aronofsky previously made four excellent films. With each film, the scope of the story increased. He came in for some criticism for the woefully-received The Fountain. But it was a film that some people just didn’t get. Here, he returns to a smaller, more personal story. And it’s just as good as anything he’s done before. Aronofsky was met with some scepticism when he said he wanted Rourke for the title role. But thanks to his tenacity, we as the audience benefit. The film is excellent. The script is very strong, the direction is spot-on. Aronofsky really capture the sub-culture of amateur wrestling. As a companion piece, the fantastic documentary Beyond The Mat should be seen. When viewed along-side The Wrestler, you appreciate on a whole new level, just how well Aronofsky captured the scene.

With Golden Globes won, and rumours of Oscar glory, The Wrestler is a triumph for all involved. Rourke has come in from the cold, and if he continues with performances as good as this, he’ll be here to stay. The second film of 2009 is another fantastic piece of work. Long may this trend continue.


9/10

Trailer for The Wrestler

The new film from Darren Aronofsky, The Wrestler, comes out in January. The Wrestler is Aronofsky's follow-up to 2006's much-maligned, and very misunderstood film, The Fountain and stars Mickey Rourke in a role he seems to have been born to play.

THE FOUNTAIN (2006) - Darren Aronofsky

Director Darren Aronofsky set about making The Fountain after he completed Requiem For A Dream in 2000. The film went into production in Australia with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in the central roles of Tom and Izzi, but soon shut down after Pitt left over creative differences with Aronofsky, and the studio pulled out of backing the film. Finally, in 2004, Aronofsky began filming The Fountain once again, with a stripped-down script and actors Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz in the main roles.

The Fountain takes place in three time periods. The three stories weave together and deal with death and eternal life. In 16th-Century Spain, we find Queen Isabel who is close to being executed by the Inquisition for crimes of heresy. She is obsessed with finding the Tree of Life, the tree from Eden which is believed to be located in South America. She sends her faithful conquistador, Tomas to find the tree, and to bring back to her the sap, which will give her eternal life. In modern day America, Dr. Tom Creo is a neurologist who is searching for a cure for brain tumors. He is obsessed with finding the cure, as his wife, Izzi is dying from a brain tumor. The cure may be found from the sap of a tree recently discovered in South America. And in the year 2500, we find Tom again, travelling through space towards a dying star, with only a tree for company. He is escorting the tree to the dying star where it is believed, Izzy's spirit may be reborn.



When written down like that, The Fountain sounds like it wont work as a film at all. Certainly, interweaving three distinctly different styles that would suit each story could become a major problem. Yet in the hands of Darren Aronofsky, this isn't so. Aronofsky has created one of the most unique and fascinating films of recent times. On the face of it, The Fountain is about the need to accept death as a part of life. Izzi knows full well she isn't likely to survive her tumor. She has accepted it, and is quite upbeat, yet her husband is completely unwilling to let go of the chance of saving her life. To the point where he actually misses out on spending time with her. On another level, the film is also about the nature of humanity. If we lived forever, would we lose a sense of who we are? And in this respect, The Fountain is kind of like a modern day 2001: A Space Odyssey. Certainly, the sci-fi element, as well as the jumps in time could be compared to Kubrick's masterpiece.



That isn't to say The Fountain isn't without it's flaws. There are moments where Aronofsky loses focus on the message of the film in favour of the visual side. However, Aronofsky is one of the best technical directors in the industry, and the imagery is incredible. The space scenes, while certainly very very far out, are absolutely stunning, the approach quite unlike anything you'll have seen before. And the cinematography, from long-time Aronofsky collaborator, Matthew Libatique is as good if not better than Requiem For A Dream.
Hugh Jackman delivers a career-best performance as the three versions of Tom Creo. He captures the obsession of both his work, and the love for his wife and queen perfectly, in a role that was criminally overlooked at awards time. Rachel Weisz is also brilliant as both Queen Isabel and Izzi Creo. Refined and elegant as the Queen, and wonderfully upbeat as Izzi. Ellen Burstyn also appears as Tom's boss, and is, as always, brilliant.

The Fountain divided critics and audiences alike. And it's not surprising it did so. In these days of pirates and superheroes, a film like The Fountain is going to seriously test the average Joe Multiplex. However, thank christ for Aronofsky, who has taken a helluva chance making this film. It is without a doubt one of the most individual and unique works of the last while. It's more of a painting or a poem then a movie. What's for sure is, for better or worse, this is a film that stays in the mind long after you've seen it.

9/10