The Wrestler Essay

1. Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler (2008) is a film that forces the viewers to ask questions rather than find answers. It is a film that explores the world of the working class as well as the performers with demanding jobs. In the film Mickey Rourke portrays a washed up wrestler Robin Ramzinski, however he is better known by his stage name Randy “The Ram” Robinson. The “Ram” finds himself at a crossroad in life, and must choose between the sport he loves or protecting his health. If there were one specific structure that Aronofsky used in this film it would be journey. From the very beginning of the film until the last scene, Robin goes through a whirlwind of events. From emotional victories, being desperate for love, a heart attack, cocaine filled nights and losing his only daughters love and trust, The Wrestler is a journey that many can identify
In the opening credits the camera pans across a collection of newspaper and magazine headline and articles about “The Ram” and all of his accomplishments. Directly after that the film opens up with a dilapidated wrestler who seems to be somewhat unhappy, however he is faking it to make it. The manager of the park locks him out of his own trailer and things are not looking up for Randy. The end scene is the final match of “The Ram’s” career. Similar to the opening scene Randy is still an aging old man who is just trying to get by in life by doing the one thing in life that completes him. The difference in the 2 scenes are that in the first scene the Ram is still scraping to get by with small venues, however in the last scene he is wrestling in front of a large crowd and he finally feels at home once again. The final scene conveys that Robin Ramzinski is dead and the only thing worth living for is Randy “The Ram” Robinson. At this point in the film, Randy has realized that he is only truly happy when he is wrestling and he could not think of a better way than essentially ending his life than in a wrestling