The Wrestler (2008)

The beats in The Wrestler are as old as the ring itself: aging fighter, estranged kid, one more big match. You can see the daughter storyline coming from the parking lot, and Evan Rachel Wood gets too few scenes to change that. Mickey Rourke gives one of the most unguarded performances you’ll ever see. Randy is a big, sweet, sore guy who signs photos at half-empty conventions and plays an old wrestling video game with a neighborhood kid who’s clearly bored. When Darren Aronofsky’s camera follows him out to the deli counter at the grocery store, crowd noise still in his head, it’s heartbreaking and kinda funny at once. Marisa Tomei is lovely as Cassidy, a single mom with her walls up. The movie treats his health scare with total seriousness. It made $44.7 million worldwide on a reported $6M. A 9.0 because Rourke makes a broken-down showman feel like the most human guy you’ll meet all year. $8,419 says you order at the next deli counter you see and quietly hope the guy behind it gets a happy ending.

What works: Mickey Rourke’s raw, gentle performance carries everything, and Aronofsky’s handheld, follow-behind style makes the small indie wrestling world feel completely real.

What doesn’t: The daughter storyline follows a path you can predict from the first phone call, and Evan Rachel Wood gets too few scenes to deepen it.

Who it’s for: Anyone who loves character studies, sports dramas about the cost of the job, or a lead performance that feels like a confession.