If you follow movies at all, it is inevitable that you’ve heard quite a bit about The Wrestler, and about how though the film Mickey Rourke has resurrected a career which has been deceased for some time.  For a short while Rourke’s portrayal of Randy “The Ram” Robinson was the favorite to win Best Actor at the Academy Awards.  He didn’t win in the end, and having now finally gotten around to seeing the film I believe the Academy made a wise decision giving it to Sean Penn for Milk instead.  For while Rourke gives a fine performance, it isn’t as earth-shattering as all the hype had led me to believe.  And neither is the film as a whole.

“The Ram” is a aging professional wrestler, who in the late 80’s was on top of the sport.  Now he is physically deteriorating, broke, and without any contact with his only daughter.  Making ends meet by working part-time at a grocery store hauling boxes, and doing appearances on the weekend either to sign autographs or to perform in the ring with younger up-and-comers.  The wrestling scenes are truly the highlight of the movie, as we see the incredible physical punishment the “fake” wrestlers take in the name of entertainment.  After each fight, Randy has to be taped up, sewn up, and glued up.  Broken glass, barbed wire, staples; they’re removed from his flesh by semi-professional medics.  And on top of all of that, “The Ram” fills his body with countless steroids and growth enhancers.  Without question, he is living on the far fringe of show business, and trying to hang on before he falls off the cliff.

After a heart attack derails what’s left of his wrestling career, Randy tries to cross the bridge into the real world again.  He hasn’t spoken to his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) in years, but at the gentle prodding of a local stripper he has a thing for (Marisa Tomei), he attempts a reconciliation.  Those attempts are awkward, emotional, and carry tremendous baggage.  Likewise, his desire to move beyond the customer/stripper give-and-take with Tomei’s character “Cassidy” (whose real name is Pam), looks to be hopeless.  Even his desire to work full-time at the grocery store, which requires tedious customer interaction, is a draining experience for Randy.

Rourke is, in many ways, telling the story of his own life here, and it his familiarity with the desperation which allows him to give a compelling performance.  From swallowing sarcastic comments from his boss to sleeping in the back of his van when he gets locked out of his trailer, none of Randy’s plans seem destined for success.  Even the 20th anniversary of his most famous bout, for which a rematch is planned, is a huge question mark.  Rourke is himself barely recognizable compared to his early acting days; his face looks like it has seen a few too many punches and surgeons knives.

The performances of Rourke, Tomei, and Wood are all solid, but The Wrestler has a tendency to get too melodramatic, and during those moments the direction of the plot seems obvious.  However, the strength of the performances keep the film from leaving a sour taste in your mouth.  More than anything, the film delivers in an attempt to show just how sad and full of true despair the aging wrestling community is.  They had their time in the spotlight, but now the world has completely passed them by.

The Wrestler is a good film, but not an exceptional one.  So lower your expectations a bit, but see it.  It’s worth your time.