Admirable film.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The Wrestler is like a newspaper story made into a movie: "Old, dirty, drug-abusing wrestler gets a second chance. Ruins it because he's a selfish idiot". A waste of talent, time and money.It's just a meaningless movie with an unlikeable main character (not that the other characters are saints either). It's strange world we live in, where people want to see movies about jerks who do drugs, sleep around, fail their loved ones and destroy their lives. That depressing garbage like The Wrestler called art by some is also a mystery (well, not really...these days, taking a crap in public makes you an artistic genius).Someone already did the unlikeable loser ruins everything-stuff many years ago in a Swedish silent movie called "The Phantom Carriage", but they did it the right way. That movie is also dark and ugly in parts, but doesn't resort to profanity and pointless nudity to tell the story. It didn't have a stupid ending either. Or you could just watch Santo in the Wax Museum instead...

This great American drama is held together by Mickey Rourke's performance as a professional wrestler who is a dumb hulk with a big heart. He gives all of his love to his fans with his wrestling - and they give him all their love in return. Tragically, he suffers a heart attack and now he can no longer wrestle, and so he is left alone in a world where no one loves him.He seeks companionship.Everywhere he goes the companions he seek reject him. His neighbors. A stripper. Even his own daughter. One day the stripper - who also has a big heart but exists in an industry where she cannot love her fans and her fans do not love her - takes a leap of faith to reach out to our hero. She agrees to spend time with him and encourages him to reconnect with his daughter. When he does - as if by miracle - the daughter accepts him back into her life. For a few brief days - he seems to be able to find love and accept the loss of his career as a wrestler. Unfortunately - just when real love seems to surface these people fail to connect: He makes a pass at the stripper at the wrong time. She rejects him. He overreacts and verbally abuses her and then abuses drugs. The drugs make him miss out on a mission critical date with his daughter. The daughter overreacts and lashes out on our hero and throws him out of her life once again. The loss of love is sudden for all of them - and they are left alone.Soon it becomes clear that our hero has destroyed his family - not once - but twice - and perhaps more times than that. He can only love to his fans - because that is the only world his talents as a big dumb hulk provide companionship.Our hero decides he will go back into the ring to wrestle - even if it costs him his life. He would rather die in front of the fans who love him than be left alone in a world without love. But the stripper has a change of heart and reaches out to heal him one final time - but the damage done is too severe and he has to let her go so she can find a man in her life who will not harm her. He enters the ring - for one final match that may cost him his life.On the one hand - this film is an allegory to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ - where our hero is a Christ-like figure who is beaten and mocked on his way to be nailed to a cross. But on the other hand this is also a film about the lives of damaged human beings - the love that burns deep inside of them - and the struggle for their love to be recognized in order to find companionship. It is perfect.

The Wrestler is a excellent best Darren Aronofsky , even having a problem , for example the amateur camera style and a script with some problems , the plot is good , the cast is great , the acting is good , Mickey Rourke is excellent, perhaps his best performance in his career, Marisa Tomei is great , chemistry and I took with Rourke is very good , she even compares the character Rourke to Jesus Christ , the picture is good , the dialogues are good , the track sound is good, has great moments , the film is too violent, and sometimes distressing , the Wrestler is a very good movie with a good direction Aronofsky , an excellent soundtrack is a flawless performance of Mickey Rourke . Note 8.6

If I know Rourke thanks to Iron man 2, and I've seen his well played act on Sin City. But when i saw this movie its beyond Rourke i know. One of great actor'skill is when he can handle multiple layer of character naturally, at the same time. First, Rourke a wrestler(1), not a fighter, which is already need to perform as entertainer(2). Also, he's a washed up wrestler(3), which added more acting burden to struggle like well being wrestler. All those energy, pain, doubt, brought up nicely. Great realism. This way, at first minutes he's done great job to made us believe that he's a genuine wrestler. At least experienced one.Then, common belief of good wrestler is being nice guys in real life. We were relieved as he played with kids and gives signature to some folks. Another realism, we know this guy. Until the moment of drama comes, something we rarely paid attention before from fun- friendly-macho guys; his struggle in real life with job, her daughter, and love life. All those images that have built up melting into loving father figure and lonely guy. We fall for him, befriend with him, and weep with him. Rourke's first tears becomes priceless altogether. It is probably due the nature of his character, but i can't see it being done by some mere buffed up actor. Its a wonder, really, why Rouke didn't received Oscar at the time.