Mickey Rourke: Don’t Call It A Come Back
Recently Maria and I watched “The Wrestler”. The Wrestler is, with no doubt, Mickey Rourke’s big screen comeback! From the start of the film you get the feeling of a somewhat good independent film. You wait for just a few minutes until you actually see Mickey and the face that he claims he got during a “boxing career” but that everyone really knows is from his botched plastic surgery. He admits it too, so it’s not a big deal. But the unique face adds to the story of The Wrestler, a 20 year veteran of the squared circle. A one-time super star turned run-down entertainer getting paid less and less per show. The movie shows a fair representation of the backstage area in many local venues where performers stretch out and talk about how their matchs will run. “I’m gonna bounce off the rope, come back and bring you down the hard way… then you…” The wrestlers genuinely see Rourke’s character, Randy “The Ram” Robinson, as an old pro, a hero in their eyes and a headliner they all looked up to. But soon The Ram is faced with reality. The steroids and drug abuse is catching up to him as well as the incredibly physical brutality of the ring. Ram finds himself in a 
personal battle between his health, his career and his potential love interest played by Marisa Tomei. All in all, I felt that the movie was incredible. Not too over-the-top with the wrestling and true to life with the on-screen relationship between Rourke and the woman who plays his estranged daughter. The story is real and prolific and leaves you wondering about your own life and what you would do if your livelyhood (or doing what you love) was suddenly taken from you. It’s not to say that Mickey Rourke hasn’t still had a career recently with his roles in filsm such as “Domino”, “Sin City”, and “Once Upon A Time In Mexico” however the role as Randy “The Ram” has put him back in the limelight! Although Maria wasn’t to keen on the ending, I feel that it left enough to the imagination that you could take the story jut about anywhere, however the preceeding events lead you to believe what the actual outcome really is.
The Wrestler, like I said, is probably the closest thing to a come back Rourke will have. He has already been cast in a number of upcoming films and has recently won a Golden Globe for his portrail of the wrestler, Randy “The Ram” Robinson. He is even making an appearance in the next Wrestlemania where he will face off against professional wrestler Chris Jericho. During his speech he said, “Sometimes when a man’s alone, all you got is your dog and they meant the world to me.” A very touching sentiment about how when Hollywood forgot about him all he had was his 
dogs. Some people will never understand that quote. Some media outlets will make fun of it and criticize Rourke for it, but I understand it. I get it. I thought it was a fitting “Thank You” for the little guys that got him through the tough times.
Along the lines of John Travolta, who came back to life with the ever-popular Pulp Fiction, and most notabley Robert Downey Jr., who just cant seem to turn down a role anymore; Mickey Rourke is on his way back to the top. With more movie companies realizing we want to see the big guns instead of the newbies in the latest films, it looks like there will be a solid place for Rourke to stand.
Lancaster, PA
