The Wrestler is a 2008 drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky, written by Robert D. Siegel, and starring Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, and Ernest Miller. Production began in January 2008, and the film premiered at the 2008 Venice Film Festival in August, winning the Golden Lion Award. Fox Searchlight Pictures acquired rights to distribute the film in the U.S.; it was released in a limited capacity on December 17, 2008 and was released nationwide on January 23, 2009.
The Wrestler was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on April 21, 2009 in the United States. It was released in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2009. Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke), is a professional wrestler who was a celebrity in the 1980s, however, by the 1990's his popularity had declined. He is now past his prime and wrestling on the weekends for various independent promotions in the Elizabeth, New Jersey, area. After a show, a promoter proposes a 20th anniversary rematch with his most notable opponent, the Ayatollah (Ernest Miller), who now owns a used car dealership in Arizona. Their last match sold out Madison Square Garden, and Randy agrees to the rematch.
Randy goes home and is locked out of his trailer for not paying the rent; we learn that he loads boxes at a supermarket and that his boss, Wayne (Todd Barry), does not hold him in high esteem. He frequents a strip club where he has befriended a faded stripper named Pam, stage-named Cassidy (Marisa Tomei). He continues the training rituals for his wrestling appearance, including steroid use and tanning. At his next show, Randy wrestles a brutal hardcore match with Necro Butcher (Dylan Summers). Post-match, Randy is treated for his wounds backstage, but he suffers a heart attack soon after and collapses.
Randy ultimately receives a coronary artery bypass and he is warned by the doctor that his weakened heart cannot stand the stresses of steroids or wrestling. Randy cancels his upcoming matches and begins working as a deli counter operator at the supermarket. He tells Cassidy about his heart attack and tries to woo her while out for a drink. She warms to him at first and tells him about her son, but when Randy gets too close she leaves.
At Cassidy's suggestion, Randy visits his estranged daughter, Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood), whom he had left years before. She curses him and tells him to leave her alone. Randy returns later with a gift suggested to him by Cassidy, and apologizes for being a bad father. The two bond over a visit to an abandoned beachfront boardwalk, and they agree to meet for dinner on that coming Saturday.
Randy goes to Cassidy's strip club to thank her; she once more rejects his overtures. Dejected, Randy attends a wrestling match as a spectator and receives the attention he was seeking from Cassidy from his fans and fellow wrestlers. After watching the match, Randy gets drunk with his friends, snorts cocaine, and has sex with a woman he meets at a bar, sleeping the entire next day and missing his dinner date with Stephanie. He goes to her house in the middle of the night, but she tells him that she never wants to see or hear from him again.
Randy goes to work at the supermarket deli counter, where a fan recognizes him. Embarrassed by his job, Randy cuts himself in the deli meat slicer, screams at his boss, and quits.
Randy calls the promoter to reschedule the previously canceled Ayatollah match and sets out for the venue, despite his doctor's warnings. Before the match, Cassidy unexpectedly arrives and apologizes, urging him not to wrestle for the sake of his health. She tells him, "I'm here. I'm really here", showing that he is no longer alone. Randy explains that the real world is where he gets hurt, and the only place he belongs is in the ring.
Randy enters the ring and gives an emotional speech to the crowd before the fight begins. During the physical exertion of the match, Randy begins to feel angina, but continues despite the Ayatollah's pleas for Randy to pin him. Randy pushes through the pain and climbs to the top turnbuckle. As he does so, he notices that Cassidy is not there. Randy prepares to dive off and deliver his signature finishing move, a diving headbutt called the "Ram Jam." Brought to tears, he salutes the cheering crowd and leaps from the ropes as the screen cuts to black.
* Mickey Rourke as Randy "The Ram" Robinson
* Marisa Tomei as Pam / Cassidy
* Evan Rachel Wood as Stephanie Ramzinski
* Todd Barry as Wayne
* Mark Margolis as Lenny
* Judah Friedlander as Scott Brumberg
* Ernest Miller as Bob / "The Ayatollah"
Also appearing in the film are actual professional wrestlers: Kevin Matthews, Johnny Valiant, Ref Hanson, Tommy Rotten, Andrew Anderson, Brolly, Danny Inferno, Necro Butcher, Mike "RAGE" Miller, Paul E. Normus (who died in early 2009),Nick Berk, DJ Hyde, Havoc, Johnny Mangus, Billy Dream, Eric Cobian, Sabian, Nate Hatred, Sugga, L.A. Smooth, Whacks, Devon Moore, The Funky Samoans, Jay Lethal, Jim Powers, Kid USA (as Randy's stunt double), R-Truth, Claudio Castagnoli, Bobby Dempsey, Mike Mongoose, Bobby Cruise, Romeo Roselli, John Zandig, Chuck Taylor and Nigel McGuinness.
The Wrestler was scripted by Robert D. Siegel, a former writer for The Onion and entered development at director Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures. Actor Nicolas Cage entered negotiations in October 2007 to star as Randy.The following month, Cage left the project after attending a Ring of Honor show in New York City, and Mickey Rourke replaced the actor in the lead role. According to Aronofsky, Cage pulled out of the movie because Aronofsky wanted Rourke as the lead character. Aronofsky stated that Cage was "a complete gentleman, and he understood that my heart was with Mickey and he stepped aside. I have so much respect for Nic Cage as an actor and I think it really could have worked with Nic but, you know, Nic was incredibly supportive of Mickey and he is old friends with Mickey and really wanted to help with this opportunity, so he pulled himself out of the race."
