The Wrestler - review with Spoilers

I finally saw the The Wrestler on cable. I must say from my knowledge of the sport it is a very authentic look at the underbelly of the business. The camera work alone makes it worth seeing it; many times the shot is from behind the massive Randy The Ramjet the star of this played by Mickey Rouke.  This makes you feel the weight of his world that he is a carrying, and what he has lost. I highly recommend this film is you have not seen it yet.

At the start we are presented with the once famous Randy the Ramjet, now fallen on hard times and working the small independent wrestling circuit. While he walks though the small local gym that he will perform to crowd of 200 people, he is greeted by his fellow wrestler who have not yet made it. We don’t quite ever know where Randy has been or what he has done before this, but all other wrestlers call him sir and give him the respect he doesn’t get in the rest of his life.

We then see a very authentic match. A hardcore match, if you don’t know what that is, or what is involved with a hardcore match you are probably better off. The participants because they are not headliners in the major circuits, will do anything to grab attention to get a chance at what Randy had. I have seen these matches before, and why anybody would choose to do this willing to their body? I will never know. I assure you these matches do take place. Men are thrown threw plate glass windows, body slammed on thumbtacks or broken glass. In this one a staple gun is used on an opponent. I have seen men jump off three story ladders onto another man. Crazy. Without a doubt the craziest thing shown in the movie, is something I have seen too. People are thrown in a board with barbed wire attached to it.

Randy’s body cannot take this anymore. Years have taken their toll and he has a heart attack after this match. Too much steroids and painkillers and who know what else. The Doctors tell him can’t not wrestle anymore. Not knowing what to do with the rest of his life, he seeks out the counsel of a stripper Cassidy (Marisa Tomeii) that he is a customer. Randy considers himself more than a customer, and tries to convince Tomeii of this. She resists because she is afraid getting hurt by him. She advises him to reconnect with his daughter that he hasn’t seen in years.

Although, He only a sixth grade picture of her, he locates his daughter but the conversation does not well as could be expected. Randy leaves, and then finds work in grocery store behind the meat counter that he hates. He returns to visit Tomeii to tell her of his failure, she offers to help him buy a gift for his daughter. The two begin to connect although Marisa is still afraid to move forward. The Father and Daughter reconnect with the gift Marisa helped buy. But only for an awhile and the connection destroyed again by Randy failing to meet a commitment. His daughter throws him out permanently.

After this Randy can't stand his new job anymore so quits and walksout. With nothing left except a rematch with a famous old opponent, Randy decides the ring is where he belongs. He had cancelled the match after the heart attack. He has nothing left to lose so he gives the promoter the green light. Tomeii’s character has a change of heart and looks for the wrestler at his trailer park home. She catches him about to leave for the big match but cannot talk him out of it.

Later Tomeii realizes how alone she is too in the strip club, walks out and quits. She drives to see the match and Randy. She only comes upon him when, he is about to be announced for his match. She tells him she is finally here for him. But the wrestler cannot be persuaded. He tells her the ring is the only place he belongs becasue he can’t get hurt there. Only in the real world is where he can get hurt by the people he loves like her.

The introductions are made, Ram Jet makes a final speech to crowd thanking them for their years of support, and the match begins with an attack from behind by his old enemy who is also really a friend. Chests pains start during the match, and this is more than Tomeii can bear. She leaves not wanting to see the person she cares about hurt. What happens after that is left to the views imagination, Randy despite chest pains climbs to the top rope for finishing move the Ram Jet. He sees Tomeii is gone and he has nothing but the crowd left. He dives off the rope and the film ends.

What happened next is left up to the viewer to decide. I usually hate endings like this, but in this case I myself prefer to think he does not die and lives again to wrestle with life another day.