Wednesday, February 18, 2009

The Amazing Comeback - Micky Rourke in "The Wrestler"


Once every ten years or so a movie comes along that seems to transcend the art form. From the first moments we realize that we are not just watching a film but that we have been given the rare gift of peering into a person's soul. In "The Wrestler" you quickly realize that for the next two hours you're going to be given a raw, unprotected, and brutally honest performance from a man who has suffered and has chosen, as a true artist, to reveal that suffering to the world. I can think of few other examples of this in film. Al Pacino in the first two "Godfather" movies comes to mind. Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" perhaps is another example, all be it a strange and surprising one.

When the Oscars roll around this Sunday, Rourke should win best actor. There is no question. This was perhaps, for me, one of the top performances in cinematic history.

2 comments:

  1. Wow. Guess I'm going to have to go see it now. How close is it to "real" wrestling? Just asking because I misspent many youthful hours following the exploits of Pat Patterson and Rocky Johnson at the Cow Palace.

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  2. It is just like real wrestling. Nothing looks fake at all. I was a huge Pat Patterson fan myself. Them was the good ole days. Go Bells!

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