Have You Ever Seen a One Trick Pony.....

"I'm an old broken down piece of meat, and I deserve to be all alone."

I recently had the pleasure of viewing The Wrestler, written by Robert Siegel and directed by Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a dream/The Fountain). While I enjoyed it, it was one of those films that I enjoyed even more in retrospect.

It stars Mickey Rourke (9 1/2 Weeks), along with Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinney) and Evan Rachel Wood (The Upside of Anger/Across The Universe). It has already won several awards, and has received several Academy nods as well.

The basic premise is a story about a wrestler (Rourke) past his prime trying to stage a comeback (Rocky-underdog), despite having survived a recent heart attack. He's an admirer from a distance of a stripper (Tomei). Two lost souls past their prime. Seemingly out of quiet desperation and loneliness, he seeks out to win her heart, which out of fear and guarded tenacity she holds back. These same reasons motivate him to attempt a reconnection with his estranged daughter (Wood).

The film, mostly filmed in and around the great state of NJ, is shot in a gritty style that reminded me of films from the 70's. The color palette of the film is muted and bleak conveying the characters lives and situations, although in NJ's defence, most of the locations do not accurately convey much of the beauty that is "The Garden State".

While there is much heartache in the film, there are several glimmers of hope and joy. Hope that it's not too late for love. Hope that it's not too late to make up for past mistakes. Hope for second chances and dying dreams, and a hope that there's still hope.

On a personal level, there were several scenes that deeply affected me, tearing at hardened layers of my heart and soul. Although far from a wrestler (although I did wrestle briefly in junior high), I could identify with the feeling that perhaps my best days are behind me. That some of my past mistakes can no longer be repaired and that hope is somewhat waning. The scenes of the the wrestler attempting to reconnect with his daughter stung as I recalled my own fathers attempts to rekindle and reconnect with me. My hope for forgiveness for a father who abandoned me, unrealized before he died and it was too late.

My favorite scene in the film, however subtle, was when desperate for more hours at the grocery store where he worked, he took on the new position of butcher. As he makes his way to the butcher counter on the first day of his new job,  the camera follows him in a long shot. Faintly heard in the background is the roar of the crowd, until he finally emerges at the counter to unseen cheers and applause. A great scene and powerful stuff, at least for me.

Perhaps you've already seen the film or are planning to. Go, and afterwards let it wrestle and grapple (clever puns intended) around in your thoughts, and please comment here. I'd like to know your thoughts and opinions.