"The Wrestler"

By: Matt Duncan
Coastal View News

Method acting is a technique whereby an actor or actress fully embraces the lifestyle, emotions and characteristics of the person being portrayed on screen. Whether or not this was the technique previously employed by the estranged Mickey Rourke, the process of getting inside the mind of Randy “The Ram” Robinson—a washed-up, beat-up, screwed-up old wrestler—may have been more self-reflective than self-emptying. Rourke and the Ram attempt to simultaneously resurrect their careers in “The Wrestler,” a powerfully emotional and subtly profound look at aging, redemption and salvation.

In the world of professional wrestling—the kind with folding chairs and body slams, not the kind with headgear and grappling—the Ram was once a god. He was the people’s champion, defeating such frightening and evil opponents as the “Ayatollah.” In the minds of his fans, the Ram defended the ring, the American homeland and all that is sacred.

However, with age and experience come aches, pains and a restless constituency. Once on top of the world, the Ram is relegated to high school performances and backroom shows, testing his patience, wallet and ego. Whereas before the Ram’s successes appeared to outweigh his failures, he is now confronted with all the mistakes he made during those years; mistakes for which he is now accountable. Among them is his forgotten and neglected daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood), who wants nothing to do with her father after years of missed birthdays.

The Ram—now merely ‘Randy’—clings to the comfort and advice of an aging stripper named Cassidy (Marisa Tomei), with whom Randy has fallen in love. However, Cassidy has her own world of hurt and responsibility to reckon with—a world analogous to Randy’s—and is reluctant to team up with her long-time, bruised and broken customer.

Amidst the social chaos, Randy suffers a life-threatening and career-ending heart attack, leaving him more impotent and broken than before. As Randy struggles to regain the affection of his daughter and the love of Cassidy, he fights the dangerous desire to return to the world of wrestling—the only audience suitable for Randy’s talents.

Although the apparent drama in “The Wrestler” is in no short supply, perhaps the most interesting thread of the film is covert religious imagery that underpins the entire film. The audience is starkly introduced to this theme when, after Randy tells Cassidy about his injuries, she flatly quotes the Bible: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” An injury to his side and a tattoo of Jesus on his back further establish the presence of this allegory between Christ and the “sacrificial Ram.”

Yet, this is no Sunday school allegory. The Ram is hardly perfect, and although he has a strong sense of responsibility and the need to make everything right, the Ram constantly comes up short. He is unable to provide for the needs of those closest to him, and he is never present when his presence is most needed. Instead, the Ram’s whole life and career is nothing more than a childish sham, where a certain ideology is praised and worshiped without reflection. Although it seems as if the Ram’s tenure is ending, the tired wrestler declares to his fans, “The only one that's going to tell me when I'm through doing my thing is you people here.” In response, an arena full of followers applauds with religious zeal.

Religion aside, it is not difficult to empathize with the Ram. Although he is worshipped in certain settings, Randy is deeply human. He wants to do what is right and even provide something greater to those who love him, but he is simply incapable of keeping up with the past and future. Although his responsibilities multiply, Randy turns to the only world that appreciates him.

This movie is raw and gritty. Rourke certainly rises to the demands of this performance and Tomei adds a good deal to the film. “The Wrestler” has something for everyone: streams of interpersonal drama as well as deeper undercurrents.

“The Wrestler” is rated R for violence, sexuality/nudity, language and some drug use.