The Wrestler

[paul_oshea]

anyone see it?

savage sound track, best sound track on a film ever, love the line," the 80s rocked, until that pussy cobain came along and ruined it all", "guns and roses fcuking rule, ya crue, def lep!"

very good film. Not sure of the ending though, I think it was left open in terms of her but had a discussion with the person i watched it with and they disagreed.

[shakermaker1982]

looking forward to this. Has anybody seen pi (same director)?

[Bluebeard]

looking forward to this. Has anybody seen pi (same director)?

Absolutely loved Pi, and also his light comedy Requiem for a Dream is great too. Having watched far too much wrestling over the years, I am really looking forward to catching this. And Mickey Rourke is back and meant to be really good too!

[paul_oshea]

Randy 'The Ram' Robinson: The eighties ****ing ruled, man, until that pussy Cobain came and ****ed it all up.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Randy 'The Ram' Robinson: Goddamn they don't make em' like they used to.
Cassidy: ****in' 80's man, best **** ever !
Randy 'The Ram' Robinson: Bet'chr ass man, Guns N' Roses! Rules.
Cassidy: Crue!
Randy 'The Ram' Robinson: Yeah!
Cassidy: Def Lep!
Randy 'The Ram' Robinson: Then that Cobain pussy had to come around & ruin it all.
Cassidy: Like theres something wrong, why not just have a good time?
Randy 'The Ram' Robinson: I'll tell you somethin', I hate the ****in' 90's.


Ya, darren oronofsky did pi, so he did requiem as well. i never copped that, he must have been very young doing them as hes only 39 now.

[paul_oshea]

it looks like at times that he is just being followed by one camera man, alot of back walking scenes, but its really good it adds to it. THe funny thing is aronofsky said that he wanted to make it for way more than the $7m that it was made for, more like 30 or 40, i think though that this adds to it and without that element of home made camera, it wouldn't appear half as good as it adds to the idea of him being run down and past it. I'd say most people when they realise that will agree. IT really adds to the film, as though its a documentary.

I still watch wrestling when i can, and its well worth watching for even non fans. Not spoiling it but didn't like the way it ended still think there could have been a little more to it. But still well worth watching, I love the scene above where they are in the bar(where the quotes are taken from) its all very natural. Ive seen a few interviews with Rourke and the person in the film, reminds me of him to be honest, so Im not so sure the acting is anything special as he is playing himself i reckon, but still very good. He also comes across as a bit of a knob, on a mission to say F U All im still here, as though he is feeling sorry for himself. seems like a bit of a pervert as well.

[jebus]

Have seen this on a few peoples playlists on streaming channels but I really want to watch this in the cinema so left off watching it until it's released this week.

Really looking forward to it as a Rourke fan and a wrestling fan. Will post back at the weekend, but it was good to see Mickey pick up the Best Actor Golden Globe last night

[tetsujin1979]

Saw it earlier tonight, I'll post more later.

Just on the soundtrack, given that the story is about a superstar from the 80's trading on past glories, and the sub-story about Tomei's stripper is about a faded beauty trading on past glories, don't you think the soundtrack was fitting in that it was a load of bands who were massive in the 80's, and are now trading on past glories?

Apart from GNR, obviously.

[tetsujin1979]

posted this review elsewhere, pretty much sums it up for me.
A few minor spoilers, although nothing that'll ruin the film.

The movie is visceral in parts, really doesn't pull any punches (if you'll excuse the pun). I've heard stories about what goes on backstage at wrestling shows, but it's something else to see it up close. Shooting the film documentary style gave it that extra realism as well. SPOILER: Thought the behind-the-shoulder tracking shot was a little over-used. Yes, we get it, he's spent his life walking down corridors, and through curtains, now he has to do it at work.

As a character, Randy is clearly flawed. There's a universal appeal to playing a superstar from a bygone era, trading on former glories. In truth he could have been a rocker from a hair band, or a footballer who had one good cup run. SPOILER: He loves to play around with the kids in his trailer park, yet he knows nothing about his own daughter. When he tries to make peace with her, his own character defects ruin whatever chance he had.

Obviously he sees a kindred spirit in Tomei's stripper, unable to keep up with the younger performers, and still willing to put herself through pain because she doesn't know anything else. SPOILER: One of the hardest things that happens to Randy is when the doc tells him he won't be able to wrestle again. One of the hardest things that happens to her is when she sees a guy she couldn't convince to buy a dance sitting at the pole, cash in hand, for the younger dancers.

For a film where the central and secondary characters are long gone from their finest hours, and struggling to compete with younger competitiors, the soundtrack is well chosen. It is littered with bands who have left their best days behind them, and are pretty unrecognisable to younger audiences. Springsteen's closing theme is perhaps a little out of place, although carries no less of an impact for that.

I honestly don't know if I can recommend the film or not. There might be too much wrestling in it for movie fans, although they might be interested in the other darker side of the pseudo-sport. On the other hand, it might be too much of a film for wrestling fans, although they might be interested in examining the personality behind the public persona side to it.

As a wrestling fan, and a movie fan, I thought it was excellent, and Rourke's performance is deeply moving.

Perhaps that is recommendation enough?

[shakermaker1982]

Absolutely loved Pi, and also his light comedy Requiem for a Dream is great too. Having watched far too much wrestling over the years, I am really looking forward to catching this. And Mickey Rourke is back and meant to be really good too!

Light comedy!!!

[paul_oshea]

Saw it earlier tonight, I'll post more later.

Just on the soundtrack, given that the story is about a superstar from the 80's trading on past glories, and the sub-story about Tomei's stripper is about a faded beauty trading on past glories, don't you think the soundtrack was fitting in that it was a load of bands who were massive in the 80's, and are now trading on past glories?

Apart from GNR, obviously.

a lot of those bands are still going iwth the same following and numbers as before.

[paul_oshea]

just because the bands are old doesnt make any significance to how good they were or the music they produced, it still sounds as good today as it did then(im sure, i was only a young un then ). I dont think that has anything to do with the bands themselves like you are pointing out, it just sorta shows that they are still living in the past. However if you go to america and check out jukeboxes all those bands are still there, in chicago i remember lots of places on a sunday and thursday where they did karaoke and stuff and all that music is still played, its instantly recognisable to younger americans, just not our ill-informed listeners across the pond. As they say stateside "ya, everyone knows twisted sister"

[tetsujin1979]

a lot of those bands are still going iwth the same following and numbers as before.

There's a distinct possibility that it's the exact same following they had in the 80's, they're just 20 years older
I can honestly say the only songs I recognised in the film were Sweet Child Of Mine and the Springsteen track over the final credits

[paul_oshea]

his main theme for coming into the ring was
metal health by quiet riot
the song in teh van was Accept - balls to the wall
The song in the bar, which by the way i have heard being played on 3 occassions in bars when I was holidaying stateside, was Ratt - Round and Round.

I dont think there was any other ones to be honest that was played, although the sound track listing is quite big

[tetsujin1979]

Soundtrack from IMDB here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1125849/soundtrack

[GenerationXI]

Awesome from start to finish. Marissa Tomei is exceptionally hot.

[anto1208]

Very enjoyable show allright was quite what i expected but i liked it.

[paul_oshea]

Awesome from start to finish. Marissa Tomei is exceptionally hot.

ya i like the way the used someone from that era/genre as well, or at least in terms of age, it added to the authenticity of it. She is one of those girls i think who if she isn't done up she looks hot, as in not in glamour shots etc, the rough and ready look.

[HarpoJoyce]

I liked the film but I think it maybe an acquired taste as I like both Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei, so I was happy to keep watching.

I saw a closing credit given to an Aronofsky so I checked it out. At least two other Aronofsky'd get credits in his other films too.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0036921/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0036920/


(Wes Anderson has said he has used the same crossroads near his childhood home in at least three of his films.)
(I know Pedro Almodovar stuck his mum in as a newsreader in one of his films.)