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Another enthusiastic review of Darren Aronofsky's THE WRESTLER comes charging in from Rome!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a spy calling himself JediMoonShyne who caught a screening of Aronofsky's THE WRESTLER over in Italy. The more that comes out about this flick the more it seems Aronofsky knocked this one out of the park. Can't wait to see Mickey Rourke going crazy for myself! Enjoy the review!
Thanks again for posting up my thoughts on 'Choke', you guys rock. Last night I saw Darren Aronofsky's new one 'The Wrestler' which was excellent.
Here are a few words -
'The Wrestler'
Darren Aronofsky, 2008
A titanic Rourke slams his way into Oscar contention
As a concept, Darren Aronofsky's latest outing 'The Wrestler' is the closest this oft-misjudged director has ever been to conventional cinema, and it works for him. It's an intelligent move. Not only will the film reassure all those fans of his that were alienated after 'The Fountain', it will also undoubtedly win western audiences over in the theaters. For what is more American than wrestling after all? The story itself is in fact decidedly unconventional; following an aged, down-and-out grappler named Randy "The Ram" Robinson (played by a perfect fit in Mickey Rourke) whose loneliness and sudden ill-health provoke an attempt to contact his estranged daughter. We are introduced to Randy on fight night, as he wins over a particularly rowdy crowd to retain his position as champion. We feel the thrill of adrenaline as The Ram delivers his signature move. Then we experience his subsequent comedown after finding himself locked out of his trailer park home for not paying the rent. As his puffer-jacketed form shuffles to sleep in the back of a minivan plastered with peeling posters we realise that life hasn't been so kind to the burly Randy. Through all this Aronofsky employs the kind of hyperrealism that was used so effectively in 'Requiem for a Dream'. It is the perfect complement to a sport that is usually seen to involve so much colour and theatrics, yet here is exposed warts and all by some sharp direction.
With 'The Wrestler' Aronofsky creates a Hollywood hero story in new and unflattering clothing. Despite straying once or twice into cliché territory he manages to leave this melodrama in the locker room, for the most part. Randy is certainly a gladiator in the traditional sense, a hired performer whose job it is to satisfy the bloodthirsty appetite of a baying mob. And Rourke hands in a titanic performance to fill these boots until the laces are strained tight. His shaking hands and rasping breath. A face scarred by cosmetic surgery and skin dried to a crisp orange by all those years of enforced tanning. He is really a sight to see. These attributes simply add to the already knife-edge realism to create a character whose rigorously maintained appearance is exactly what make him so hideous on the outside. Randy is certainly a likeable character though, despite his drug-addled state and consequent violent outbursts there is a kindness in him that wins over. One flaw I would point out in 'The Wrestler' is its curious tangential segments involving Randy's daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood). While these appear critical to the plot they don't actually advance it whatsoever, nor do they serve to develop the main character. At least not in the way Randy's relationship with retiring stripper Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) does. It's safe to say though that Aronofsky is back in the ring, delivering a redemptive and resounding blow to his critics. A blow made even more poetic by his Venetian exploits last week.
8/10
Please credit JediMoonShyne if you use it, and allow me a shout-out to all the fine people of the IYPC club over at RottenTomatoes.
Cheers!
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Sep 11, 2008 4:01:24 AM CDT
so he has basically made a jake the snake roberts movie?
by slappy jones
can't fucking wait.
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i will not accept anyone who has been calling this a 'comeback film', for aronofsky, as i don't feel he went anywhere. while the fountain didn't please everyone, i think it's really silly to say his 3rd film launched him off the planet, but the 4th has him landing safely. and as for rourke, it's sounding like this is a role he was born to play. now there is a place to make the 'comeback' remark, but rourke has been back for a few years now, thanks to robert rodriguez.
@ paragon complex
nic cage doesn't wish he stuck around, because he very humbly bowed out because he and aronofsky both knew this was a role made for rouke. it was the studio that wasn't confident rouke could carry a film. -
Ouch...
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-"slams his way into oscar contention"
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I can't help it. I loved him in Sin City. I can't imagine Marv protrayed any better. It is thrilling to see him have an opportunity to do good work.
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Before the Devil Knows your Dead, I have absolutely no problem with that.
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This must refer to the judgment, oft stated, that Aronofsky is good.
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Sep 11, 2008 10:41:09 AM CDT
hyperrealism that was used so effectively in 'Requiem for a Drea
by speed fricassee
Ha! Fuck that stinker of a film. Not only is the editing highly, HIGHLY annoying on such a basic level, but I truly don't see what's supposed to be so brilliant about it at all. Slowly sinking to the lowest depths of living hell with no redemption does not a good story make, and it does not warrant (nor produce) a visionary director. I liked The Fountain well enough, but Requiem was some of the nastiest, most useless garbage I've ever been exposed to. Good soundtrack, that's it.
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After only 3 films now on his fourth, Aronofsky is going to get the respect he is due as one of the last true auteurs we have now and days in response to the blockbuster films, comic books, and funny yet contrastingly shallow comedies.Viva La Aranofsky!
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No offense to the people who have sent in reviews, but Ebert might actually carry some clout with the Academy..... he was the first one I heard calling "Crash" the best of its year, and look what happened. And good for Rourke. He deserves some adulation after all these years.
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was supposed to be ugly. Filthy, nasty, dirty and ugly things happening to beautiful characters and there's nothing you can do about it for two hours.
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What am I wrong about? You didn't mention that you thought Requiem was even remotely good, only ugly, which is what I said in the first place.
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Isnt that what that crap was about? estranged daughters? End of the road feelings....
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Requiem for a Dream is a fine film...its just a dark, ugle, gritty, depressing, miserable asshole of a movie thats completely unrewarding to all of its characters (and yes...towards the end when we see flashes of everyones lives flushing down the toilet simoultaneously is a bit too much...especially his mom and the shock treatment). i like the movie, but its not something i can watch over and over...kinda like There Will Be Blood...thats another brilliant but miserable prick of a movie.
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Anyone seen the wrestling documentary "Beyond the Mat"? The whole setup described in the review above could be about Jake the Snake in that film. He was a down and out wrestler in ill health, looking for his estranged daughter. I'm just sayin'.
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I see Paragon Complex already beat me to that comment. (Whistles and wanders away)
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That's all.
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Ebert like VAN HELSING, but didn't like EMPIRE OF THE SUN. Nuff said.
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I'm sorry but I'm just not. Outside of those meatheads back in high school who were actually *on* the wrestling team, who the fuck cares about wrestling? -- And Mickey Rourke is the white version of Michael Jackson. He just looks weird. Why was this movie made?
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