The Wrestler

Johnz0r · 18 Jan 2009 at 13:53

Stellios said:
Seen it last night and was incredib ly bored through most of it. If it had a powerful storyline I could understand and probably enjoy it, but it couldnt hold my attention at all. It had a couple of funny parts in it, but on the most part I spent the majority of the film wishing id stayed home and watched the snooker.

The main annoyance with it for me though was the film could have been a lot shorter if it didnt spend so much time filming him and his heavy breathing, which is the main thing that really made me bored in the film.

If you want an interesting fighting film, watch Never Back Down, its a lot lot better.

Its not very interesting at all tbh, whilst the fight sequences are fairly good its the typical american bull**** story line. It's a film that is good to watch if you need some light entertainment, but nothing more.

atpbx · 18 Jan 2009 at 15:49

Yeah, its called a character piece, it says it in all the reviews, thats the great thing about cinema, its able to act as a mirror to the world sometimes.
I guess if you dont have anyway of connecting with the character in a character piece, then it wont work for you.

ZXSpectrum · 18 Jan 2009 at 18:31

I thought it was excellent... I particularly loved the bit as his first day on the deli counter was filmed exactlly the same as his ring enterance... I have always had a thing for Marissa Tomei since My Cousin Vinny and she was truly stunning for a woman in her 40's that has a body that could put girls in thier 20's to shame.

Pestilence · 19 Jan 2009 at 00:10

Stellios said:
Seen it last night and was incredib ly bored through most of it. If it had a powerful storyline I could understand and probably enjoy it, but it couldnt hold my attention at all. It had a couple of funny parts in it, but on the most part I spent the majority of the film wishing id stayed home and watched the snooker.

The main annoyance with it for me though was the film could have been a lot shorter if it didnt spend so much time filming him and his heavy breathing, which is the main thing that really made me bored in the film.

If you want an interesting fighting film, watch Never Back Down, its a lot lot better.

Miss the point much?

It's not a fighting film - it's a character piece about a man facing losing everything he lives for and attempting to put the pieces of the rest of his life back together. Nothing's ever that easy, however.

"Never Back Down" was ridiculous, by the way. "Fight Club" for teenage girls.

alexakasloth · 19 Jan 2009 at 00:39

I'm also looking forward to seeing this, will probs go with some course mates this week to see it, it's got some good hype around it.

^TANK^ · 19 Jan 2009 at 03:33

Really enjoyed it, some mighty fine acting by Micky rourke.

Vandle · 19 Jan 2009 at 04:08

Saw it at the weekend , really enjoyed it.
Not a classic by any means but a lot better than I expected.

Well worth a watch.

Tom|Nbk · 19 Jan 2009 at 05:36

Mickey rourke on the up it seems. Good to see really. He was awesome in Sin City as well

ZXSpectrum · 19 Jan 2009 at 11:06

I thought he was superb... Never really a big fan but you could really believe he was a ageing wrestler..

Carzy · 26 Jan 2009 at 00:22

Unbelievably good movie...and to all those saying it's a bad wrestling/fighting movie you're idiots...it's not a movie about wrestling. Aronofsky = god.

titchard · 26 Jan 2009 at 03:11

Stellios said:
Seen it last night and was incredib ly bored through most of it. If it had a powerful storyline I could understand and probably enjoy it, but it couldnt hold my attention at all. It had a couple of funny parts in it, but on the most part I spent the majority of the film wishing id stayed home and watched the snooker.

The main annoyance with it for me though was the film could have been a lot shorter if it didnt spend so much time filming him and his heavy breathing, which is the main thing that really made me bored in the film.

If you want an interesting fighting film, watch Never Back Down, its a lot lot better.

Agreeing with some of the other posts - think you missed the point of the film.

Anyway, I saw this the Friday just gone and thought it was a brilliant film, brilliantly filmed and you really could tell Rourke had researched the role really well, as well as Aronosfsky.

Soundtrack was well fitting and the cinematography was great also, if you haven't seen it I recommend you do.

Rich

Von Smallhausen · 26 Jan 2009 at 11:51

malc30 said:
I am Chuffed to bits to see Mickey Rourke in a well paid well advertised roll again, I hope he keeps it together long enough to make another.
God knows whether it'll be any good but If you ask me IF Rourke is on form then it'll be worth the fee just to see him, Awesome Dude & a Proper character.

Endorsed.

He was awesome in the 80s.

THMRK · 26 Jan 2009 at 11:59

Skyline said:
I thought it was excellent... I particularly loved the bit as his first day on the deli counter was filmed exactlly the same as his ring enterance... I have always had a thing for Marissa Tomei since My Cousin Vinny and she was truly stunning for a woman in her 40's that has a body that could put girls in thier 20's to shame.

Couldn't agree more.

Excellent film. True excellence. Nice nod to Rourke's short boxing career with Sweet Child o Mine as his entrance music at his last fight.

titchard · 26 Jan 2009 at 18:51

Skyline said:
I have always had a thing for Marissa Tomei since My Cousin Vinny and she was truly stunning for a woman in her 40's that has a body that could put girls in thier 20's to shame.

Totally agree - always thought she was an amazingly beautiful woman, was rather shocked when I found out she was in her forties, I would have put her at later twenties!

Rich

Noel Gallagher · 26 Jan 2009 at 19:48

I watched on saturday.. thought it was alright, nothing special, rubbish perdictable ending.

6/10

kingy666 · 26 Jan 2009 at 20:20

Well i liked it and so did my GF. It certainly is a story of somebody who is living in the past.

Carzy · 26 Jan 2009 at 20:24

Noel Gallagher said:
I watched on saturday.. thought it was alright, nothing special, rubbish perdictable ending.

6/10

It's not supposed to be a movie with a crazy twist. The ending is perfect for the tone of the movie, and thankfully eschews a Hollywood tie-up-all-the-loose-ends ending.

Tom|Nbk · 13 Feb 2009 at 05:40

Saw this tonight.

Absoloutely incredible, powerful movie, filled with emotion if you 'get' the powerful story line it will bring out most of the emotion in you.

Micky rourke didn't dissapoint he was the only one that could truly do this role justice. Very well played out plot they captured everything about a ruined wreck living in the past just perfectly.

Loved it.

Nzyme · 5 Apr 2009 at 21:56

Saw this recently and loved every minute of it !

2StepSteve · 6 Apr 2009 at 03:13

I watched this last night and I am very disappointed.

(IMO)

I wasn't after action but the story was predictible from the word go. Being down and out, health problems, no family? Final fight?? How many times has this been done before!? No, I do not think that the comparison made to him working at the deli and entering the ring was cleaver or even worth mentioning. It was just a slight interesting blip on the whole very flat and dead flow of the film.

My biggest problem is with Mickey Rourke; he is a bloody terrible actor. I have never seen any of his other films before or even heard of him, but through out the whole film I never once became engaged with him. His performance just did not feel real to me even if his physical appearence does suite the roll well, his actual acting is some what lacking by a few miles. It is a shame as the story even though it is very predictable could have made for quite a good watch but this just did not work for me.

3/10