“The Wrestler” (2008)
I read too many reviews of The Wrestler before I saw it. They didn’t give away the ending, but they did spoil the small joys of the film, which are many. So I’ll say very little.
Mickey Rourke’s performance is amazing. The film is a deep, involving character study, though it works less well as a holistic story. Marisa Tomei is also strong, but I thought director Darren Aronofsky should have been more sparing in the use of nudity, which felt gratuitous. Similarly, I have lingering discomfort over Aronofsky’s deliberate blurring of the line between Rourke and his character. Still, it’s a powerful, moving film. See it before some of what’s great about it is spoiled, either by reviews or by the deserved attention it’s receiving.