Mickey Rourke as The Wrestler

Posted on December 7, 2008
Filed Under danielmcvicarblog | 1 Comment

Mickey Rourke in The WrestlerWith his latest role, Mickey Rourke is compared to Robert De NIro or Marlon Brando, but another comparison came to light last night, Mickey Rourke and Jimmy Cagney.

I went to a screening last night of the independent film “The Wrestler”, to see Mickey Rourke’s performance. Physical, unwavering, and true on so many levels, his work is some of the most daring that I have seen. Playing Randy “the Ram” Robinson, a professional wrestler living off the fumes of his career, facing death and reaching out to his daughter, a stripper and his fans so as not to be alone, Rourke gives the performance of a career. He is courageous enough to show his vulnerability and fears beneath the steroid filled aging action figure of “The Ram”. Bravo Mickey!

Also, there are amazing performances by the beautiful Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood.

A. C. LylesI had a conversation after the film with one of the legendary gentlemen of Hollywood. Now ninety years old, but eternally ageless A.C. Lyles started at Paramount Pictures in the 30s as an office boy for Adolph Zukor. He is still always active, was a consulting producer on the HBO series Deadwood. It is always a pleasure to talk with A.C. He reminds me of what Hollywood was when it was at its best. Or how I think it could have been.

A.C. Lyles was reminded, after watching Mickey Rourke’s work, of JimmyAngels with the Dirty Faces Cagney in his Oscar nominated performance in “Angels with the Dirty Faces”. Pat O’Brien’s character tells Cagney as he goes to the electric chair to go yellow, so the kids won’t idolize you. Cagney’s character does.

This film has sections that are strong…I will never look at a staple gun the same way again….but the lessons delivered at the end are in the best traditions of filmmaking.

Comments

One Response to “Mickey Rourke as The Wrestler”

  1. Spence on February 24th, 2009 11:47 pm

    I’m glad Mickey’s finally living up to his potential. If you go back and look at his breakthrough performance in “Body Heat,” he displays a truly rare charisma. If an actor you’ve never seen before appears in only two scenes, and you remember him or her as well as anything else in the film, you’re seeing something special.

    Also, I feel bad about his dog.

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