Oh. My. God. Been watching Mickey Roarke in "The Wrestler" (being in the WGA is so much fun. New and unreleased movies show up at your mailbox come awards time...) and all I can say is that, while the film itself seems to be structured traditionally (aging wrestler tries to come to terms with his failing body. Forms relationship with stripper and her son. Has last chance at redemption, but is warned of heart attack if he participates in The Big Fight) but Roarke's performance is...unbelievable. On a level with Di Niro in "Raging Bull." This is one incredibly hard movie to watch--the things the wrestlers put themselves through is brutally insane. I mean, pro wrestlers are certainly athletes. I'd call them stunt men who specialize in fight scenes. But because there are few real oversights on Wrasslin', the drug use is over the moon, and they just savage themselves for the pleasure of the audience...or maybe the approval of the other wrestlers, in a bizarre kind of "Boy's Club." ﾠAronofsky's film is powerful. Roarke needs an Oscar. Seriously. An "A" if you can handle the pain.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The Wrestler (2008)
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Off-topic post: Most of you have heard of the F-18 jet crash in San Diego. It occurred close enough to my office that I could see the smoke. The entire family of a local man, to include his wife, mother-in-law, and 2 children, were killed. Here's his reaction per CNN:
A Korean immigrant who lost his wife, two children and mother-in-law when a Marine Corps jet slammed into the family's house said Tuesday he did not blame the pilot, who ejected and survived.
"Please pray for him not to suffer from this accident," a distraught Dong Yun Yoon told reporters gathered near the site of Monday's crash of an F/A-18D jet in San Diego's University City community.
"He is one of our treasures for the country," Yoon said in accented English punctuated by long pauses while he tried to maintain his composure.
"I don't blame him. I don't have any hard feelings. I know he did everything he could," said Yoon, flanked by members of San Diego's Korean community, relatives and members from the family's church.
"I know there are many people who have experienced more terrible things," Yoon said. "But, please, tell me how to do it. I don't know what to do."
I suddenly feel so small for getting angry about the many trivialities that I seem to get angry over. My heart goes out to this man.
Mine as well. God grant me the serenity and wisdom to deal with the pains of life half so well as this man.
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