The Wrestler

Flawless, but mechanical. It's beautiful to watch and Mickey Rourke is superb, but Aronofsky should be making stories where every twist and turn isn't inevitable and taken from other genre films. The Wrestler kicks the viewer a couple of times, but it doesn't land any hard punches like Warrior, Rocky or even the sentimental Cinderella Man, and that's a shame... (11/19/2011)

Reality, dreams, desires, and reality. Darren Aronofsky resigns from the magic of editing or groundbreaking effects and becomes a guide through the world of wrestling matches. And it is a walk without embellishment. He doesn't flinch from anything, doesn't stop for a moment - and yet he partially fails. He relies too much on Rourke's perfect performance. In his portrayal, Randy is a breathtaking character dependent on his past and struggling with ingrained habits. I admired him, but I didn't breathe for him. The camera practically never leaves him, but I still don't feel the necessary dramatic closeness and take his story as a scripted scenario with necessary accompanying tools, with three evident twists and a strong ending. I never expected that I would reproach the director for a cold approach precisely in the emotionally soaked, dramatically perfect, and for me, already immortal Fountain. (07/30/2010)

A very intense experience, as it’s usual with Aronofsky. The walking camera works wonders, making it very easy to relate to the character of the wrestler (does anyone understand this “sport”? Does it really have an audience?). The Wrestler is one of the most tiring films I’ve ever watched, but not in the sense that it’s boring, but that you’re physically exhausted after watching it. It has such an effect that it made me feel I almost experienced it first hand. Ouch! Aronofsky isn’t getting five stars out of me this time, but it was very close (there are several parts where the story loses its pace). PS: Did the style of the last scene remind anyone else of the brilliant ending of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? (01/06/2009)

The attempts for a very raw statement did not succeed, they are very obvious and very disjointed. The main positives are Rourke’s captivating performance, the handheld camera and the grainy image, while the unconvincing and uninterestingly presented behind-the-scenes of wrestling and relatively sterile and clichéd content are the main flaws. I was also surprised by the fact that Aronofsky does not have such tight direction as expected and sometimes doesn't even know what the main theme should be, whether personal relationships, devotion to a lifestyle, family, etc. Million Dollar Baby captures this with its honesty and a more delicate main character. Rourke’s character is not as likeable and Aronofsky lacks the sensitivity and mainly the grasp of the experienced Eastwood. (05/02/2009)

Even my third encounter with Darren Aronofsky's work did not end well, although this time it's not so much the director's fault as it is the subject matter, whose setting and characters simply repel me. I consider wrestling to be a degrading form of entertainment, although it is primarily a problem of audience demand for new gladiatorial matches. Moreover, I have no particular love for Mickey Rourke, and with the honorable exception of Angel Heart, none of his films have thrilled me. To top it all off, his protagonist did not seem sympathetic to me in the slightest, and he had only himself to blame for his fate. He chose it and paid the price. His casting, however, fits - given his boxing antics and personality, he is cast perfectly type-wise. The film certainly does not delve into any great depth, it is predictable, and the characters, whether the protagonist or the stripper who, of all people, is also a caring mother and yearns to escape from this rotten environment, have a bit of a kitschy feel. Overall impression: 45%. (03/11/2011)