Well played, Mr. Rourke. I didn’t realize you were gunning to get my all important, all influencial backing to win Best Actor but you’ve done it sir. This blog is backing you 100% (man I long for the day when my endorsement means something).More than anything this movie is a slice of Americana. It might not be conventional in the way it looks at the American dream, but Randy “The Ram” is just trying to make his way in the world, just like anyone else. He wants his daughter to love him, he wants to feel less alone, he wants to get paid for doing what he loves, he wants to feel whole, to feel normal. And that all comes through. The word “powerhouse” has been used a lot when it comes to Rourke’s performance in this film, and I have to agree. Yes. He’s a powerhouse. If he doesn’t win best actor, I’ll be upset on his behalf.The film itself is a good one. To speak of it outside of Rourke’s performance it would have been mediocre at best. I don’t like Evan Rachel Wood, she didn’t really get through to me on this. Marissa Tomei was perfect as the aging stripper that Ram tries to find a companion in. It helps because Tomei doesn not seem to be afraid of aging, unlike some of her contemporaries (I’m looking at you, Alyssa Milano). The way Aronofsky shot the scenes of the strip joint are VERY reminisent of the way he shot some of the more sexually graphic scenes in Requiem for a Dream. It was almost enough to give me flashbacks of that fever dream of a film. The thing about Aronofsky is that he doesn’t turn his camera away. The life of the characters is reality for him, and you can’t close your eyes to that, be it the harsh reality of addiction or taking a beating in the ring.The one thing I didn’t like was the over use of the behind the shoulder shots. If you haven’t seen the film yet, be ready to become intimately acquainted with the back of Mickey Rourke’s head.And, on a more random note on the studio and their absolute disregard to like…good movie making. The first choice from the studio to play Randy was…Nic Cage. When Aronofsky refused to waver on his choice of Rourke, they pulled funding.And that is why I respect Darren Aronofsky.

Well played, Mr. Rourke. I didn’t realize you were gunning to get my all important, all influencial backing to win Best Actor but you’ve done it sir. This blog is backing you 100% (man I long for the day when my endorsement means something).
More than anything this movie is a slice of Americana. It might not be conventional in the way it looks at the American dream, but Randy “The Ram” is just trying to make his way in the world, just like anyone else. He wants his daughter to love him, he wants to feel less alone, he wants to get paid for doing what he loves, he wants to feel whole, to feel normal. And that all comes through. The word “powerhouse” has been used a lot when it comes to Rourke’s performance in this film, and I have to agree. Yes. He’s a powerhouse. If he doesn’t win best actor, I’ll be upset on his behalf.
The film itself is a good one. To speak of it outside of Rourke’s performance it would have been mediocre at best. I don’t like Evan Rachel Wood, she didn’t really get through to me on this. Marissa Tomei was perfect as the aging stripper that Ram tries to find a companion in. It helps because Tomei doesn not seem to be afraid of aging, unlike some of her contemporaries (I’m looking at you, Alyssa Milano). The way Aronofsky shot the scenes of the strip joint are VERY reminisent of the way he shot some of the more sexually graphic scenes in Requiem for a Dream. It was almost enough to give me flashbacks of that fever dream of a film. The thing about Aronofsky is that he doesn’t turn his camera away. The life of the characters is reality for him, and you can’t close your eyes to that, be it the harsh reality of addiction or taking a beating in the ring.
The one thing I didn’t like was the over use of the behind the shoulder shots. If you haven’t seen the film yet, be ready to become intimately acquainted with the back of Mickey Rourke’s head.
And, on a more random note on the studio and their absolute disregard to like…good movie making. The first choice from the studio to play Randy was…Nic Cage. When Aronofsky refused to waver on his choice of Rourke, they pulled funding.
And that is why I respect Darren Aronofsky.