2009 is off to a great start for older actors. First, Clint Eastwood in the perfect role for Clint Eastwood at age 79, "GRAN TORINO." (Say it with me, "Get off my lawn.") Then, Liam Neeson, an unlikely choice at first, totally breaking bad as a C.I.A. dad gone mad (apparently, I'm Dr. Seuss now) in "TAKEN."Now, it's Mickey Rourke in "THE WRESTLER," as an ailing, once-famous pro wrestler with a daughter who hates him and a stripper for a best friend (played wonderfully by Marisa Tomei), who has been relegated to nostalgia matches in high school gyms. Most indie dramas are either unwatchable "slices of life," (read: no story, a lot of pointless conversations), or how violent criminals are really people, too. Darren Aronofsky's movie is about real people in relatable situations. It's Beauty And The Beast. "A broken-down piece of meat" (as Ram refers to himself in the movie) and the exotic-dancer-only-doing-it-for-her-kid who loves him. "THE WRESTLER" is heart-warming, then heart-breaking, heart-warming again, finally heart-breaking (or heart-warming, depending on how you interpret the ending.) Every actor has that one role they were born to play and its their crowning achievement. This is Mickey Rourke's.
No comments:
Post a Comment