The Wrestler
Short description
The Wrestler centres on Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a professional wrestler who was a star in the 1980s but now performs in small independent shows in New Jersey. After a heart attack, doctors warn him that continuing to compete could kill him, so he steps away from the ring. He takes a job and tries to rebuild his relationship with his estranged daughter, Stephanie, while growing close to Cassidy, a stripper he knows from a local club. The pull of the crowd and the spectacle proves difficult to resist, and a rematch with a rival from his past draws him back toward the ring.
Darren Aronofsky directed the film, his fourth feature after Pi, Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain, from a screenplay by Robert D. Siegel. Aronofsky also produced with Scott Franklin. Mickey Rourke plays Randy, with Marisa Tomei as Cassidy and Evan Rachel Wood as Stephanie; Mark Margolis, Todd Barry and Wass Stevens appear in supporting roles.
Released in 2008, the film was made for about 6 million US dollars and took roughly 45 million US dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.9 from around 331,000 votes, and on TMDB a rating of 7.5 from over 4,000 votes. A film critics' rating of 8.7 from 227 reviews places it well above both audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- Nicolas Cage was considered for the lead role.
- Mickey Rourke's trainer was Afa Anoai.
- The film's screenwriter, Robert D. Siegel, appeared in the film in a small role as a fan who got an autograph from Randy Robinson.
- Actress Marisa Tomei, who played Randy's girlfriend, attended the same school as the film's director, Darren Aronofsky (Edward R. Murrow High School in New York).
- It is worth noting that the main character's name in the plot is also a pseudonym. Randy's real name is Robin Ramzinski.
- A poster of Angus Young, the guitarist of the Australian rock band AC/DC, hung on the door of Randy's house.
- Filming began in January 2008 and wrapped on March 18, 2008.
- Randy "Baraн" drives a 1979 Dodge Ram Van. "Ram" translates to "sheep" from English.
- In 2009, at the BAFTA Awards, Mickey Rourke dedicated his award for Best Actor in "The Wrestler" to the renowned Irish actor Richard Harris, calling him "a good friend and a great actor."
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