The Wrestler – 2 Disc Edition, Blu-ray (2009)
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel WoodDirector: Darren Aronosfky
Studio: Fox Searchlight
Video: 2.35:1 anamorphic/enhanced for 16:9 1080p HD
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, DD 5.1
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Extras: Within the Ring: The Making of the Wrestler; Wrestler Roundtable;
"The Wrestler" music video by Bruce Springsteen, bonus digital copy
Length: 109 minutes
Rating: *****
The Wrestler is the story of Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a famous 80s wrestler, who now wrestles every weekend for a couple of hundred dollars in front of small crowds in tiny gymnasiums. After Robinson has a heart attack and is told by doctors he can never wrestle again, he attempts to begin leading a normal life, reaching out to his estranged daughter and trying to develop a relationship with a sympathetic stripper, played by Marisa Tomei.
Anchored by a brilliant performance from Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler may be the first film ever to take professional wrestling seriously as an art form. The film’s screenwriter, Robert Seigel, a one time writer for The Onion, captures the camaraderie and respect the wrestlers have for each other as performers, as well as the extraordinary bond they have with their fans.
One of the DVD’s special features is a roundtable discussion of the film with professional wrestlers Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, Diamond Dallas Page, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Lex Luger, and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. The wrestlers explain how the film perfectly captures the sacrifices they make for their craft and hope that it will give non-fans of pro wrestling a newfound respect for what they do.
Lex Luger mentions that wrestlers are considered "independent contractors" and therefore have to pay for their medical insurance out of pocket. Those who can’t afford to pay for their medical care are forced to, like Rourke’s character in the movie, numb their injuries with illegally purchased pain pills and alcohol. Hopefully this film will lead to increased awareness of the need for professional wrestlers to have a union that could guarantee them medical care and a pension.
I highly recommend The Wrestler, for wrestling fans and non-fans alike. Equal parts tragic and triumphant, the film is an instant classic and easily the best movie ever made about professional wrestling. The extras round out one’s appreciation of the feature, and the image and audio transfers are excellent, though don’t expect bone-rattling explosions since this is not an action film.
– Daniel Krow
