“The Wrestler” Nothing New Is Old Again

Nothing New Is Old Again

“Hotshots” looks at a movie!

THE WRESTLER is a comeback film that has caused a lot of attention, has already won some awards, will likely win some more, but you could very well be disappointed when you see it.

Starring Mickey Rourke as Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a professional wrestler who was at the top of his profession 20 years ago, the film shows how Randy struggles today with his so-called sport, his relationships, and just making enough money to keep up with the lot fees for the trailer he lives in.

In other words, the theme is “Down and out and struggling to get up.” Sound familiar?

Most of the attention is on Rourke, who gained weight and beefed up for the role that mirrors his own Hollywood career, but Marisa Tomei is also very good as an aging stripper named Cassidy who befriends Randy, but isn’t willing to become romantically involved with him.

We see Randy struggling to make a little money on the independent wrestling circuit and how the matches are choreographed beforehand, as well as how Randy hides a razor blade to cut himself for more dramatic effect.

And we see how Randy tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Stephanie, played by Evan Rachel Wood, telling her, “I’m an old broken-down piece of meat, and I deserve to be alone. I just don’t want you to hate me.”

So, we see a few tender moments with Randy, such as when he plays with the neighborhood kids, a lot of gruesome moments in the wrestling ring, some scenes with Randy working in a supermarket to make some extra money, and some scenes with Cassidy and Stephanie as Randy tries to reconnect with the human race.

And then Randy has some serious health issues as well, which puts him in the hospital at one point.

So, this is definitely not a “feel good” movie, and the only reason to see it is to watch Rourke try to redeem his own career or Tomei, who is always watchable, even more so without any clothes on.

There is even some trite philosophizing about the difference between the phony worlds of professional wrestling and erotic dancing and the “real world” “out there,” where people can get very hurt.

THE WRESTLER just shows that nothing new is old again, and even the ending is disappointing.

I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”