Film Snail

The Wrestler
The Wrestler

7.5

The Wrestler

R·2008·109m

Summary

Aging wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson is long past his prime but still ready and rarin' to go on the pro-wrestling circuit. After a particularly brutal beating, however, Randy hangs up his tights, pursues a serious relationship with a long-in-the-tooth stripper, and tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter. But he can't resist the lure of the ring and readies himself for a comeback.

Cast

Mickey Rourke

Mickey Rourke

Randy

Marisa Tomei

Marisa Tomei

Cassidy

Evan Rachel Wood

Evan Rachel Wood

Stephanie

Mark Margolis

Mark Margolis

Lenny

Todd Barry

Todd Barry

Wayne

Wass Stevens

Wass Stevens

Nick Volpe

Judah Friedlander

Judah Friedlander

Scott Brumberg

Ernest Miller

Ernest Miller

The Ayatollah

Dylan Keith Summers

Dylan Keith Summers

Necro Butcher

Tommy Farra

Tommy Rotten

Mike Miller

Lex Lethal

Marcia Jean Kurtz

Marcia Jean Kurtz

Admissions Desk Woman

John D'Leo

John D'Leo

Adam

Ajay Naidu

Ajay Naidu

Medic

Gregg Bello

Gregg Bello

JAPW Promoter Larry Cohen

Scott Siegel

Greg

Maurizio Ferrigno

Spotter

Donnetta Lavinia Grays

Donnetta Lavinia Grays

Jen

Andrea Langi

Andrea Langi

Alyssa

Armin Amiri

Armin Amiri

Dr. Moayedizadeh

Lynn Tovale Anoa'i

Pharmacist

Ryan Lynn

Strip Club Best Man

Michael Drayer

Michael Drayer

Strip Club Bachelor

Alyssa Bresnahan

Cheeques Bartender

Jeff Chena

Hotel Bartender

Vernon Campbell

Vernon Campbell

Big Chris

Felice Choi

Felice Choi

Beautician

Bernadette Penotti

Bernadette Penotti

Tanning Salon Owner

John L. Sullivan

John L. Sullivan

The Legend Johnny Valiant

Ron Killings

Ron Killings

Ron "The Truth" Killings

Giovanni Roselli

Giovanni Roselli

Romeo Roselli

Robert D. Siegel

Robert D. Siegel

Autograph Fan #1

Scott Franklin

Autograph Fan #2

Sylvia Kauders

Sylvia Kauders

Hudson Acres Lady at Deli Counter

Alissa Reisler

Young Housewife at Deli Counter

Willy Rosner

Touchdown Man at Deli Counter

Rebecca Darke

Rebecca Darke

German Potato Salad Lady at Deli Counter

E.J. Carroll

E.J. Carroll

Teamster at Deli Counter

Abraham Aronofsky

Abraham Aronofsky

Annoyed Man at Deli Counter

Charlotte Aronofsky

Annoyed Woman at Deli Counter

TJ Kedzieerski

Jameson

Jen Cohn

Jen Cohn

Get a Room Lady

Tyrone Scott

WXW Announcer

Douglas Crosby

WXW Referee

Larry Mercer

CZW Announcer

Nick Papagerio

CZW Referee

Kevin Foote

ROH Announcer

Jon Trosky

ROH Referee

Andrew Koloszuk

Wrestler

Daniel Solwold Jr.

Daniel Solwold Jr.

Wrestler

Brian Heffron

Brian Heffron

Wrestler

Nicholas K. Berk

Wrestler

Brolly

Wrestler

Lamar Braxton Porter

Wrestler

Claudio Castagnoli

Claudio Castagnoli

Wrestler

Cobian

Wrestler

Doc Daniels

Wrestler

Bobby Dempsey

Wrestler

Billy Dream

Wrestler

Rob Strauss

Rob Strauss

Wrestler

Nate Hatred

Wrestler

Kristopher Cope

Wrestler

David John Markland

David John Markland

Wrestler

Inferno

Wrestler

Jess Liaudin

Jess Liaudin

Wrestler

Judas

Wrestler

Kid U.S.A.

Wrestler

Lloyd Anoa'i

Wrestler

Toa Mairie

Wrestler

Kevin Matthews

Wrestler

Charles Renner

Charles Renner

Wrestler

Pete Nixon

Wrestler

Paul E. Normous

Wrestler

Papadon

Wrestler

Darnell Kittrell

Darnell Kittrell

Wrestler

Jay Santana

Wrestler

Sugga

Wrestler

Alex Whybrow

Wrestler

Whacks

Wrestler

Ryan Tygh

Ryan Tygh

Fan (uncredited)

Olivia Baseman

Alyssa's Roommate (uncredited)

Brandon DiCamillo

Brandon DiCamillo

Audience Member (uncredited)

Sakinah Bingham

Ring Girl (uncredited)

Matt Cannon

Matt Cannon

Crazy Fan (uncredited)

Peter Conboy

Fans at Table (uncredited)

Evan Ginzburg

Fan at Convention (uncredited)

Anna-Karin Eskilsson

Girl in Supermarket (uncredited)

Cory Kastle

Wrestler (uncredited)

Robert Oppel

Robert Oppel

Wrestler (uncredited)

Piper Kenny

DJ (uncredited)

Michael Marino

Medic #2 (uncredited)

Rafaela Ochoa

Wrestling Fan (uncredited)

Bill Walters

Bill Walters

Wrestling Fan (uncredited)

Eric Santamaria

Vendor (uncredited)

Erika Smith

Erika Smith

Dancer (uncredited)

Paul Thornton

Paul Thornton

Strip Club Patron (uncredited)

Henry Kwan

Strip Club Patron (uncredited)

Ben Van Bergen

Ben Van Bergen

Deli Customer (uncredited)

Emmanuel Yarborough

Sumo Wrestler (uncredited)

John Corson

Wrestler (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Darren Aronofsky

Screenplay

Robert D. Siegel

Reviews

Wuchak

Wuchak

September 26, 2018

8

“The Wrestler” (2008)

Twenty years past his glory days in the mid/late 80s, a wrestler (Mickey Rourke) struggles to make ends meet in New Jersey while wrestling on the weekends, taking illegal pain-meds, pursuing a dancer at the local strip club (Marisa Tomei) and trying to reestablish a relationship with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood).

This is an engrossing, but gloomy drama about the grim reality of celebrities from practically any field who are long past their prime; it just happens to be a wrestler in this case. People mock how fake wrestling is, but those talented guys bend over backwards to entertain the audience with incredibly painful stunts. The film was shot in the winter in New Jersey and this augments the bleak pall.

On the female front, Marisa is absolutely stunning as Cassidy (aka Pam) and Wood is convincing as the embittered daughter. Their relationships with the protagonist are a mixture of sweet, agonizing and moving.

The soundtrack features several quality songs from the 80s: "Bang Your Head," "Round and Round," "Balls to the Wall," "Animal Magnetism," "Dangerous," "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)," "Sweet Child o' Mine" and more.

The movie reminded me of 80’s metal star Jon Mikl Thor and the excellent documentary “I Am Thor” (2015) and, to a lesser extent, “Anvil: The Story of Anvil” (2008). While neither of these is as melancholic as “The Wrestler,” and “I Am Thor” is sometimes laugh-out-loud amusing, they both effectively show the grey reality of former real-life celebs well past their halcyon days.

The film runs 1 hour, 49 minutes.

GRADE: A-

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$6,000,000.00

Revenue:

$44,734,660.00

Keywords

daughter
new jersey
supermarket
heart attack
redemption
ambition
barbed wire
stripper
steroids
fame
pro wrestling
pro wrestlers