The Wrestler robbed…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
(Mickey Rourke as Randy “The Ram” Robinson in Darren Aronofsky’s masterpiece The Wrestler. AP Photo)
I don’t see nearly as many movies as I used to. Three years of college working at a theatre kinda turned me off to the experience anymore.
I don’t claim to know what great movies are. I just know when I’ve watched something I felt was great.
So now I only go to a theater a couple of times a year. This year, some of the only movies I saw were The Dark Knight, Wall-E and The Wrestler.
Though I hoped all three would be nominated for Best Picture, I have no problems at all that Slumdog Millionaire won.
With that in mind, I watched most of the Academy Awards last night in hoping for three things: Heath Ledger winning Best Supporting Actor. Wall-E winning best original screenplay (or at least Best Animated Film).
And the shoo-in and most important, Mickey Rourke winning Best Actor for his portrayal of Randy “The Ram” Robinson in The Wrestler. Ugh, one of three with only Ledger earning the honor.
By the way, great acceptance speech by the Ledger family. They didn’t make it a bunch of cliches and make it a contrived emotional speech. Because it was done the way it was with his father, mother and sister staying composed, actually thought it became more emotional because of it.
As a long time pro wrestling aficionado who still gets geared up for the big events, thought Rourke did as good a job as he possibly could have done.
Without giving away too much (hate to use the term Spoiler Alert), it was the little scenes that earned him The Boneman’s honor. The scenes in the deli or the scene where he’s playing Nintendo against the kid and is so competitive. Or the shopping for his daughter scene? Those are the ones that struck a chord with me more than the wrestling scenes.
There’s a reason legendary wrestlers like Ric Flair and Rowdy Roddy Piper got emotional watching this. Nearly any wrestler in the last 30 years can see themselves in “The Ram’s” shoes. The glory days are gone, you can’t let go, and you just want one more shot.
Though Marisa Tomei’s performance was great and added much to the movie, didn’t think she would win Best Supporting Actress. She didn’t. But her and Evan Rachel Wood did fine in their roles.
It was just the right blend of everything coming together. A great script and Rourke putting on his finest performance. I saw shades of so many wrestlers (or at least their characters) in the movie that it was easy to get attached to it.
Little nuances, little gestures and dialogue that rang so true in the wrestling world. Not caring about competing in a HS gym because at least you’re in front of the crowd again. The backstage relationships of the indie workers. All good stuff.
No doubt in my mind that Sean Penn is probably great in Milk. But he’s had his night before and probably will again. Last night should have been Rourke’s night, plain and simple.
I don’t want to hit you over the head with how it’s a story of redemption, both for the character and the actor. It’s still true, but it’s been said before and by better critics.
My only complaint on The Wrestler, a little too short for my liking. Was hoping for a solid 2:15-ish, doesn’t even clock in over two hours. Still a first-day buy when it comes out on DVD (I’ll even buy one of those gimmicky Special Edition sets if it’s out there).
If you haven’t seen Rourke’s acceptance speech from the Independent Spirit Awards this weekend, do so. His bluntness also would have made last night something memorable.
I want another “Ram Jam.” So he wasn’t acknowledged by the Academy, the wrestling crowd will embrace him. Why not come to WrestleMania XXV in Houston in April?
Back tomorrow with some UFC and boxing thoughts from this weekend.
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