Current release: THE WRESTLER
Mickey Rourke has been gathering plaudits left, right and centre for his performance in Darren Aronofsky's latest. It's true that it's a wonderful performance though one can't help but wonder exactly how much of it, given Rourke's past, is actually acting and how much is therapy.
Rourke is Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a washed up wrestler who was once the greatest in the ring and now, twenty years later, fights for small change in town hall arenas. When a heart attack almost kills him he is forced to reassess his life - his failing health, his rocky relationship with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood), his clumsy attempts to court a local stripper (Marisa Tomei). But despite the threat of imminent death, it seems the ring may not be ready to let him go.
The notion of the faded star trying to recapture former glories is nothing new and to be honest there is very little new about Aronofky's film at all. What lends it added gravitas is the fact that Rourke can so clearly be identified with the character.
While Rourke is the centre of attention, it seems only fair to credit Tomei as well. Her supporting role is another tried and tested archetype (poor single mum doing questionable things for the good of her kids, but she's nice really). However not only does she look stunning (a victory for whoever chose to cast her ahead of whatever beautiful 20-something Hollywood nobody the studio probably would have preferred) she invests what little screen time she has with enough warmth and emotion to carry the film. I like Evan Rachel Wood too (sooner or later she's got to get a part that isn't the troubled teenager) but confess that here her part was a bit too small for the performance she gave, with her limited scenes nearly always having to have some kind of Big Emotional Moment.
It's a new direction for Aronofky. I kind of enjoyed the barmy PI, though not to the extent many others did; I thought REQUIEM FOR A DREAM was brilliant; and I think THE FOUNTAIN is one of the best films that nobody saw. Here however Aronofsky jettisons that flair and style for a more intimate, documentary style look. There are no flashy visual tricks, just lots of prowling over-the-shoulder camera movements; gone are the driving scores that so characterised REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and THE FOUNTAIN, in comes a subtle, barely noticeable guitar.
Unfortunately, I really liked Aronofsky's earlier style. I know it wouldn't have worked on this material, but it's what I wanted to see. Many will praise it for being his least show-offy film but for once I'm going to have to admit disappointment that it wasn't. It's not really what I wanted to see and that, coupled with the familiar ground covered by the story made it feel like a let down.
It's a good enough film with a powerful, emotional ending and is worth two hours of your time - but in the long term I can't help feeling that it'll be remembered for Rourke's performance and little else.
Rourke is Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a washed up wrestler who was once the greatest in the ring and now, twenty years later, fights for small change in town hall arenas. When a heart attack almost kills him he is forced to reassess his life - his failing health, his rocky relationship with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood), his clumsy attempts to court a local stripper (Marisa Tomei). But despite the threat of imminent death, it seems the ring may not be ready to let him go.
The notion of the faded star trying to recapture former glories is nothing new and to be honest there is very little new about Aronofky's film at all. What lends it added gravitas is the fact that Rourke can so clearly be identified with the character.
While Rourke is the centre of attention, it seems only fair to credit Tomei as well. Her supporting role is another tried and tested archetype (poor single mum doing questionable things for the good of her kids, but she's nice really). However not only does she look stunning (a victory for whoever chose to cast her ahead of whatever beautiful 20-something Hollywood nobody the studio probably would have preferred) she invests what little screen time she has with enough warmth and emotion to carry the film. I like Evan Rachel Wood too (sooner or later she's got to get a part that isn't the troubled teenager) but confess that here her part was a bit too small for the performance she gave, with her limited scenes nearly always having to have some kind of Big Emotional Moment.
It's a new direction for Aronofky. I kind of enjoyed the barmy PI, though not to the extent many others did; I thought REQUIEM FOR A DREAM was brilliant; and I think THE FOUNTAIN is one of the best films that nobody saw. Here however Aronofsky jettisons that flair and style for a more intimate, documentary style look. There are no flashy visual tricks, just lots of prowling over-the-shoulder camera movements; gone are the driving scores that so characterised REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and THE FOUNTAIN, in comes a subtle, barely noticeable guitar.
Unfortunately, I really liked Aronofsky's earlier style. I know it wouldn't have worked on this material, but it's what I wanted to see. Many will praise it for being his least show-offy film but for once I'm going to have to admit disappointment that it wasn't. It's not really what I wanted to see and that, coupled with the familiar ground covered by the story made it feel like a let down.
It's a good enough film with a powerful, emotional ending and is worth two hours of your time - but in the long term I can't help feeling that it'll be remembered for Rourke's performance and little else.
Labels: oscars
posted by Alan at 7:49 pm
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