Evan Rachel Wood and Mickey Rourke blew my mind in one of the most heartfelt movies of the year. Also, Marisa Tomei will surprise you in more ways in than one. For wrestling fans, Necro Butcher and Ron Killings (R-Truth) get some awesome screen time. Necro Butcher actually steals a scene or two. Hopefully, mainstream audiences will give pro wrestling the true respect that all artforms deserve. The critics were right - "The Wrestler" is definitely the resurrection of Mickey Rourke. Aronofsky hits another cinematic homerun.

Sure, I'm Biased. I love Darren Aronofsky. After seeing the wrestler, I can't wait to buy it on DVD and I can't wait to see his next film. But, The Wrestler is by far one of Darren's best. The performances given in this film are absolutely amazing. Every character portrays a complex, emotional, real person. The beggining I was watching it and I thought, "God damn it, It's too arty." But as soon as we saw some wrestling, it wasn't. And this is coming from someone who thinks wrestling is retarded. Anyway, go check it out, I really can't begin to tell you how amazing this film is. But, go see it, seriously right now.

I have to say I had some reservations about seeing this movie at first, I was expecting a Rocky-Style pump up the action movie, with spandex. Instead, you are pulled into a story of a man who knows he has nothing to offer this world (or his family), but his old, worn-down, broken body. Mickey Rouke's performane is nothing-short of brilliant, and Marisa Tomei beautifully (seriously, she looks great!) balances out the rest of the story's inevitable outcome. It takes a minute or two to get past the Director's almost documentary-style of filming but it does help pull you in to the story without being distracting. This will be a classic for may years to come.

Being a fan of Darren Aronofsky and his previous directed films, The Fountain and Reqium for a Dream, I decided to give The Wrestler a chance. Critics raved Rourke's performance and he lived up to their praises, but the movie itself fell short. Randy "The Ram" Robinson is a lonely man, past his prime, still holding onto his dream of wrestling. When his body tells him its time to quit, he goes through a midlife crisis and in desperation tries to reunite with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood). The Ram belongs in the ring because once outside the world tears him down and nobody is waiting for him. I had a hard time paying attention to this movie because my interest wasnt in it. I would say pass this one up. (C-)

Fantastic. An absolute masterpiece. The whole film was shot by holding the cameras rather than mounting them on a stand because Aronfsky said he wanted the film to have more of a documentary feel. And Rourke's performance was phenomenal! I was not expecting a performance of that caliber. Remarkable! It is one of those that you are watching and sometimes wonder why it's so special... Then the end hits you, only as Aronofsky can do, and you are left breathless. Extraordinarily powerful. And some may say that they were left not knowing how the movie ended.... To those people I say, yes you do-- you just don't want it to be true.