Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #129 - The Wrestler

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #129 - The Wrestler

Hi Mom,

This is a quickie as it's late and I am sending it back in time.

And it's another installment in things you would not care about, Mom, but I am sharing with you anyway, and you would tolerate because you love me.

At Ivan's suggestion (thanks Ivan!), we watched The Wrestler tonight.

SPOILERS AHEAD -  This should go without saying, but if you have not seen the movie and wish to watch it without prior knowledge, do not keep reading.

This would not be your kind of movie. It's not really my kind of movie, as I do not like wrestling.
But I am open minded enough to watch a story about a wrestler and a glimpse into the wrestling world, even though I am not about to go out and start watching wrestling as a habit.

Though it's strange to see buff, pumped out, and re-constructed Mickey Rourke, his performance in this movie is fantastic. Darren Aronofsky is a great director and handled this story in a very under-stated way without sentimentalizing. In other words, it's not The Champ (see 1980s films if you don't know what I mean).

But.... the ending. Aronofsky ends the film in an open way, no closure, leaving the audience to decide if Randy the Ram dies after his Ram Jam in the final wrestling match that doctors told him may kill him due to his heart condition or if he survives. IF he survives, does he have a relationship with Pam (Marisa Tomei) and repair his relationship with his daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood)? And if he survives, what does he do for money since he burned his bridges in epic fashion at the Acme grocery store?

One argument is that Aronofsky had to end the movie this way with Randy the Ram in midair, leaping to his Ram Jam final move, a belly flop from a post in the corner of the wrestling ring because the alternatives are all cheesy and overly sentimental, wrecking his hyper-real, day-in-the-life, almost documentary-style story development.

But I disagree. I liked non-closure endings when I was younger. I appreciated the artsy-fartsy "statement" of such endings. Now, I want closure, Mom. I want endings. I want good endings. And I am okay with some sentimentality. After all, this is one of the main functions of movies, to give me that sentimental experience.

So, okay, I get it, the ending, but I didn't like it. I am bugged. I keep thinking about how and why I am bugged, which means Darren Aronofsky probably wins as this is what he wants. Randy the Ram was in a no-win scenario and he goes out (or doesn't) on his terms, with his Ram Jam. Okay, fine. Doesn't mean I have to like it, no matter how good the movie is.

Just like us, Mom. And here. I had closure with you. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.
Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.

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- Days ago = 131 days ago


- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1511.12 - 22:10
and again 1511.13 - 8:31