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Trailer Critic: The Wrestler
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Oh Mickey your're so fine. You're so fine you blow my mind
I know today is officially Twilight-craze day movie fans. Somehow this trendy little series of books eluded me, as well as any real anticipation for the film. I'm not trying to harsh your teenage vamp-buzz - I'm sure it's well earned. But I spent all last month writing about horror flicks and I'm sort of fed up with the genre right now. Plus I like my vampires with fresh red meat on their lips, (30 Days of Night - oh yeah) not so much the doe-eyed pout-bags that live a life of pain and solitude in thousand dollar shoes...
So today I'm covering a film that is shaping up to be one of 2008's better screen dramas. Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. You can view the new trailer HERE.
I'll wait while you watch it... (waiting...) (drinking some juice...) (thinking it's 530am in the morning and wondering what I'm doing conscious at this hour...) (checking wristwatch...)
Alright good. You're back. Lets do this.
Trailer Critique: So last month I sort of conjured up a mighty bitch-fit that we weren't seeing any really heavy Oscar caliber films this Fall... Whoops might have been a bit too-soon with that thought. The Wrestler looks like just that very thing to soothe the lack o' drama blues.
Mickey Rourke looks amazing in this. Maybe not his looks looks per se', Mickey Rourke's face looks like should be tacked onto the side of military Humvee doors for its extra armoring capabilities. I'm not trying to be mean here. Taking up the sport of boxing like Mick did in the 90's (love the line from the trailer "The 90's sucked" - prepare to head back into them buddy...) didn't improve his face all that much.
What I like from what I'm seeing in this movie is that it isn't shying away from that. Mickey Rourke looks like a beat-to-hell-and-back old timer, (Rourke however looks like he's in peak physical condition - wow, how old is this guy?) and that's exactly what this character is. I can see why early reviews for this film are flipping over this actor - it's been a while since we've seen a screen legend put so much of his soul into one film. In fact I'm ransacking my memory right now trying to come up with an example of the last time I saw an actor look this raw and open in a film before.... Maybe Jack Nicholson in About Schmidt? Or even Stallone in that last Rocky movie he did? Maybe I'm thinking Stallone because The Wrestler sort of bleeds out that Rocky vibe. It has that American workhorse charm to it. Trade in Bill Conti's score for a soundtrack of Quiet Riot and Motley Crue and we may have a match here...
I also like that Aronofky's toned-down the visual effect tricks he's based his early career on. In fact if I didn't already know this was a Darren Aronofksy film I would have never guessed it. It's a very stripped down look, very simple. I'm sure this allows these actors and their performances to come through that much more clearly.
It's really too bad the rest of us in the States, (other than you lucky suckers in New York and LA who get to see this movie December 19th) have to wait till early January to see this great looking film. I for one am nixing my end of the year Top 10 list till I get a chance to finally see it. Can't wait.
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