I saw this in the theaters when it was still in limited release (only showing in one theater locally) and just bought it on DVD. I'm loving it as much as I did the first time, if not a little more. Rourke's performance is utterly heartbreaking and I'm convinced this is my favorite Aronofsky film because of how emotionally affecting it is. There isn't a single other actor in any of his other films that even came close. Until Academy season came about no one I talked to even knew about it (I had to convince my friends to see it in the theater with me, but they ended up loving it). Anyone else seen it?
My girlfriend who knows nothing about wrestling loved it. I who know a ton about wrestling loved it. Beautiful and frighteningly accurate film.
I heard a few months ago that the actor who portrayed the guy selling Randy the drugs in the locker room actually got busted for doing the exact same thing. Life imitating art, apparently!
I haven't seen it, but I intend to. I was fond of Mickey Rourke back in the day and I' glad that he's come back with something so well received. Aronofsky is turning out to be a favourite director of mine.
Totally unrealistic... They actually expect us to believe there's a man alive who wouldn't want a lap dance from Marisa Tomei.
Really, really liked this film. Should've been recognized more but Hollywood was caught up in Slumdog Millionaire. Mark my words that in 10years when Entertainment Weekly does a retro Oscars like they did recently Slumdog will not be regarded as a great film that deserved its awards. Voters got caught up in the mob mentality of voting for that film.
One of the best movies I've had the pleasure of watching. It was on the same level of goodness as the movie Milk. I also love the way it ended. Whether he lives past this match or dies the moment he hits the mat, it doesn't matter if you think about. All that matters is him embracing the very thing that gives his life meaning and the last scene of him going out like the Ram his fans love and admire, which means more to him than they can possibly know.
She is at past the age were strippers either start providing extras, move to a smaller town, or quit for something else
In that case I really need to see it since I while I loved Hugh Jackman before I was even more impressed with him in The Fountain.
Just watched this movie (and rather than start I new thread I just looked for the last one on this movie), and holy hell was it depressing. I never thought of the stripper-wrestler parallel before but boy did this movie knock that aspect out of the park. Since I had seen part of Beyond the Mat before even hearing about this movie, Jake "The Snake" Roberts was totally who I immediately thought of regarding the premise. I was also shocked to see in the making-of featurette that King Kong Bundy is one of the wrestlers making the rounds in the bottom circuits.
Thats the sad truth about Pro-Wrestlers..even if they were big name superstars like Roberts or Bundy most end their careers in the small wrestling leagues,hooked on drugs,suffering severe physical pain or dead very few have a happy ending.
It's a very unfortuneate aspect of the business. Guys don't know when to call it quits. They either can't due to money reasons or just refuse to do so because they don't know anything else. Roddy Piper called it "The Sickness" in his book. A lot of guys are like this. Ric Flair is 60 and he's thinking of coming back. He's not happy doing anything else and he's pissed away so much money and owes thousands in ailmony. Once in a while, people will do good. The Rock being the most obvious example. One former 80s wrestling star doing good for himself is Tito Santana. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/fashion/22generationb.html
Excellent film. Rourke and Tomei were fantastic. I found it to be a fascinating look into an aspect of wrestling I've never considered or was even remotely aware of, as I don't follow wrestling at all. It does a great job of showing how punishing it is despite being pure entertainment. I also respected the way the movie never took the easy path despite walking you right up to it before taking a turn; specifically with the daughter and Tomei. There was no reconciliation or happy ever after - just wrestling. And at, literally, all costs.