Wrestler, The (Mickey Rourke) (DVD)

a hugely successful professional wrestler in the late 80s, randy the ram robinson (mickey rourke) now ekes out a living performing for diehard wrestling fans in high school gyms and community centres around new jersey. estranged from his daughter, unable to sustain any real relationships, randy lives for the thrill of the show, the adrenalin rush of combat and the adoration of his remaining fans. but when he suffers a heart attack in the middle of a bout, randys doctor tells him he needs to lay off the steroids and stop wrestling, for good. forced out of show business, randy begins to evaluate the state of his life. he tries to reconnect with his daughter (evan rachel wood) and strike up a romance with aging stripper, cassidy (marisa tomei). for a while, things work out. but try as he might to resist, the pull of the spotlight is too much for him and randy attempts once again to fight his way back into the ring. visionary director darren aronofsky (requiem for a dream) presents a tale of love, loneliness and the inescapable lure of the arena featuring a truly iconic comeback performance from mickey rourke. winner of the golden lion award at the 2008 venice film festival.