Don’t get fooled by the name of the movie, “The Wrestler”, by acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky who brought to us the powerful Requiem For A Dream and The Fountain (along with PI, can’t forget that one) comes this look at an aging wrestler. First here is the plot synopsis from comingsoon.net:

Back in the late ’80s, Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was a headlining professional wrestler. Now, twenty years later, he ekes out a living performing for handfuls of diehard wrestling fans in high school gyms and community centers around New Jersey.

Estranged from his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) and unable to sustain any real relationships, Randy lives for the thrill of the show and the adoration of his fans. However, a heart attack forces him into retirement. As his sense of identity starts to slip away, he begins to evaluate the state of his life — trying to reconnect with his daughter, and strikes up a blossoming romance with an aging stripper (Marisa Tomei). Yet all this cannot compare to the allure of the ring and passion for his art, which threatens to pull Randy “The Ram” back into his world of wrestling.

Director Darren Aronofsky presents a powerful portrait of a battered dreamer, who despite himself and the odds stacked against him, lives to be a hero once again in the only place he considers home ­ inside the ring.

Sounds pretty damn good, now here is the trailer:

And finally the poster:

This one looks really good and might be one I’d highly try to go see in the theater. It looks as if, unlike many other forms of entertainment that have shown wrestling in a more comedic light, this film looks as if it will be a very powerful story about a broken dream that is just in the world of professional wrestling. And as history can show those of us who have watched for a while many people can and do fall onto hard times in the wrestling business.

At the very least it looks a lot better than “The Fountain” ended up being. At least for me…

–Cos