BY MIKEY MIGO
This is the last movie of 2008 I've gotten to see and the best. I spent most of my teen years going to independent wrestling shows in the Chicagoland area. Right out of high school I started my very own Indy promotion and spent the better part of my early twenties living it up in a similar lifestyle. Granted, I was in my 20's, had my parents to mooch a place to live off of, and didn't have the past success. I worked part time to fund to the entire company, hung out in strip clubs, toyed with too many drugs, and fucked up a lot of relationships. I still have a few close friends who are still in the business and I would be lying if I said the depiction of Ram's lifestyle is something many could relate to on a personal level. Tomei's work as the aging stripper was probably her best work since "My Cousin Vinny". She plays it teetering on strong and delicate like a champ. Rourke's performance was one of the most real portrayals of a professional wrestler I've ever seen. In other movie's it's always the cliché "stupid macho guy" character in wrestling. This movie was shot beautifully and comes off almost like a documentary. The story itself was beautiful, inspiring, and had a very heavy heart. I remember that Nic Cage was originally supposed to be "Ram", but dropped out. This had to be one of the best recastings of all time. I can't imagine this movie without the raw character of Mickey Rourke. I've enjoyed his recent work in "Sin City", "Spun", and "Once Upon a Time In Mexico", but this movie should safely bring his status closer to the level he really is. If he is snubbed by The Oscars then I might lose my faith in Hollywood. I can go on and on for hours about this movie and all the aspects about it that I liked and felt. The best thing I can do is to demand you go see it when it comes near you.
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