The Wrestler

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The Wrestler

R

2008

1h 49m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

99%

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227 Reviews

88%

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100,000+ Ratings

Aging wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) is long past his prime but still ready and rarin' to go on the pro-wrestling circuit. After a particularly brutal beating, however, Randy hangs up his tights, pursues a serious relationship with a long-in-the-tooth stripper (Marisa Tomei), and tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood). But he can't resist the lure of the ring and readies himself for a comeback.

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Critics Consensus

Mickey Rourke gives a performance for the ages in The Wrestler, a richly affecting, heart-wrenching yet ultimately rewarding drama.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

08/29/2018

A story of personal ruin and while it certainly does echo Mickey's own life, it wouldn't be fair to say he is playing himself. Sure, Rourke's performance must have been informed by his own past, but that is different, as well as peculiarly powerful.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

03/21/2017

A

Great performances, great story.

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Eddie Cockrell

Sydney Morning Herald

01/22/2009

4.5/5

Who better than Rourke to sell the idea of a battered, yet proud pugilist in search of redemption?

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Gayle Sequeira

BFI

Aug 27

Aronofsky makes movies about people who suffer for their art, but in The Wrestler, suffering is the art, the spectacle that people are so drawn to. A distillation of his most enduring themes, it still foregoes his more disorienting visual tricks.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

04/06/2024

“Warm” and “human” are not two words you associate with Darren Aronofsky, but in 'The Wrestler' he is both, thanks in large part to the heartbreakingly open and vulnerable performance from Mickey Rourke, the comeback story of 2008.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

09/05/2023

3/4

The Wrestler presents one of those rare occasions where the performance of its lead actor outweighs a film’s conventional story.

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Sapere A

@RT77933623 Mar 27

Rourke ruptures our hearts too. Aronofsky directs without affectation.

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Jack F

@MovieFan111 Feb 20

This is definitely one of the best movies I've ever seen. It was something different that really tugged at the heart strings. Yes, I can confidently say it's a masterpiece.

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Suzanne D

@Suzanne13 Feb 5

Tragically, beautiful and difficult to watch at times. This is a brutal look at the slow decline of an aging wrestler and the industry that chews up and spits out it’s performers.

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Johannes S

@RT64416087 Jan 9

A devastating character study concerning an aging wrestler unable to let go. It also offers up a grim and brutal look behind the curtains of professional wrestling.

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Jerod S

@jeroduptown Jan 1

I'll agree that Rourke holds his own in the Wrestler, where he's aging and dealing with all his bad choices. But, it's so on the nose (strippers, booze) that it lacks some depth.

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Farah R

@Farah Nov 9

The Wrestler is anchored by Mickey Rourke’s devastatingly realistic performance, making it impossible not feel for his antihero. Besides that, there’s little to enjoy as the movie is bleak and slow.

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Synopsis

Aging wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) is long past his prime but still ready and rarin' to go on the pro-wrestling circuit. After a particularly brutal beating, however, Randy hangs up his tights, pursues a serious relationship with a long-in-the-tooth stripper (Marisa Tomei), and tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood). But he can't resist the lure of the ring and readies himself for a comeback.

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Producer: Scott Franklin, Darren Aronofsky
Screenwriter: Robert D. Siegel
Distributor: Fox
Production Co: Protozoa Pictures, Wild Bunch
Rating: R (Nudity|Language|Sexuality|Some Drug Use|Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 17, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 12, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $26.2M
Runtime: 1h 49m