I’ll be straight forward, I am not a wrestling fan, but after seeing Darren Aronofsky’s ‘The Wrestler,’ I’m still not. However I am a fan of wrestlers in general, whether it be staged or real, and if people look at what they do and how much dedication, showmanship, and clever planning it takes, you might be interested in them as well. What you might see are not angry, unintelligent people, but rather people who simply want to entertain, and are willing to go to any lengths to make sure the people get a good show. But what toll does this have on the wrestler’s life? What is he giving up? Why would someone dedicate themselves to such a life? Darren Aronofsky (‘Pi’ and “Requiem for a Dream’) suggests the most simplest and yet most complex of answers, because sometimes it’s all they have.

The film stars an aging but still muscle bound Mickey Rourke as the aging yet still muscle bound wrestler Randy 'The Ram' Robinson. Once a world renowned wrestling legend, Randy now can barely pay to live in a trailer park. He still signs autographs, and even wrestles from time to time, but they’re mostly underground/low paying gigs, as his day job is as a meat packer at a local convenience store. Feeling a very understandable void in his life, Randy searches for comfort from anyone who is willing to offer him some, sadly though that is very few. He left his wife and daughter, he has very few friends, and the only person he can talk to is a stripper at a local club named Cassidy (Marisa Tomei). He identifies with her but she doesn’t always with him. She never knows whether she should treat Randy as a customer, a friend, or something even more. Randy of course would like the most he can get out of her, but as a single mother with a kid at home, she is naturally very hesitant.

She does offer some good advice though, she recommends that he go see his daughter whom he has not visited in years. His daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood) wants nothing to do with her father, as she has never forgiven him for abandoning her and her mother. As Randy pleads his case though, he simply says that he doesn’t want her to hate him, and after suffering a sudden heart attack, he tries to make amends. We find out though that Randy has a major fight coming up, probably the biggest of his career, but his doctor has clearly stated that if he wrestles again it could be his last night he ever breathes. Randy must chose then where his values lie, who’s left for him to be with, and what direction he wants the rest of his life to go.

We’ve seen many movies like this before: a man hits a midlife crisis, chooses to analyze his life, tries to make amends to those he has let down, and is followed by many harsh and conflicting problems. The formula is standard, the only major difference in all these movies is the ending. Does the person make amends or does he fail? Is he content in the end or is he doomed by the choices he made in the past? Will it end happy, sad, or bittersweet? Usually the whole message or theme of the film is revealed in these endings and ‘The Wrestler’ is no different. It’s the same story we’ve seem a dozen times but it’s still done very well. We feel for the characters and we identify with them. There are no good guys or bad guys (like in the wrestling world) there are only choices and consequences.

Randy is not a stupid man nor an angry man, he is simply a lost man, a man who has made many mistakes and finds he has to take the responsibility of living with them. He is simple but confused, he has devoted his life mostly to just one thing: wrestling, and when the wrestling disappears, so does his identity. He is likable but he is also very flawed, and the choices he makes are not always bright, and they often cost him big time. But we see it is not because he is mean or stupid, he simply knows nothing else, and we can all identify with him at least trying to connect and trying to make something of a difference with his life. It is tragic, inspiring, and an interesting study of a man’s life.

So who’ll like it? Fans of “Mid-life Crises” films should enjoy the overview the film has to offer. People who like to analyze the mind of a person to find out why they are the way they are will get their fill in this movie.

Who won’t like it? Some wrestling junkies might be disappointed by the focus of character and not on the wrestling itself (though there are many intense and even very gory fight scenes). People tired of the “Mid-life Crises” films might also be a bit bored of this genre, as it offers little that is new to it.

My thoughts? I really liked this film and how solid it is on the theme of choices and responsibility. It is not always filled with happily wrapped up endings, but neither is life. The film itself makes choices and sticks by them, here are no cop outs. It is not black and white but also too complex so that the message gets lost. It is a strong film but also a very quiet film. It likes it’s main character, even for all its faults, and as a result we like him too, but we also identify with those who turn him away and all the bad choices he’s made in the past and continues to make in the present. It’s nice to see director Aronofsky do something that’s more down to Earth and not quite as fast paced or complicated as some of his other films. It’s a slower movie, one that doesn’t feel rushed and knows how to take it’s time. It’s one of his strongest in a line of good works. As long as he keeps dedicating so much time in effort into his characters and stories, let’s hope this a director that will never stay down for the count.

Douglas Darien is a featured writer for Xomba.com. Read the rest of his work here or visit his website www.thatguywiththeglasses.com.