Plot Summary - Thriller about a half-breed Mafia hit man nicknamed "Blackbird" (Mickey Rourke) who, after making a big hit on the big Mafia daddy, hooks up with a wild young loser/killer named Richie Nix (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is involved in blackmailing a realtor for 20,000 bucks. When the two head into the realtor's office hoping to get the dough, instead they find a couple there (played by Diane Lane and Thomas Jane), who are now witnesses. Blackbird doesn't like to leave anyone alive who's "seen his face", so the two bad men are soon after this couple to kill them. The FBI puts the couple into a witness protection program since they are the only ones who can connect the Blackbird's whereabouts at the time of the recent hit he committed. Cat and mouse chase between bad men and good couple to follow. The couple, previously on the brink of divorce, start to patch things up as they live in a new town with new identities and sleep in one double bed!
Review - Okay, this film was okay - boosted up by having really well done performances by Mickey Rourke and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Diane Lane is fine, as usual - the actor who plays her hubby is about as dull and nondescript as you can get (wonder at the casting there?!). The soundtrack went with the film quite nicely, the location settings were well photographed. Entertaining enough, nothing great. Rating - 7/10 stars
Showing posts with label Mickey Rourke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mickey Rourke. Show all posts
Monday, June 22, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The Wrestler (2008) Film Review - Mickey Rourke
Plot Summary - Mickey Rourke stars as an aging wrestler - once an 80s wrestling superstar called Randy "The Ram" - who now appears in small-time matches and fan autograph appearances just to make ends meet. His body all worn out from years of abuse, a sudden heart attack and by-pass surgery forces him, unwillingly, to give up his career and take a job behind a grocery store deli counter. Friendship with a pole dancer/stripper (Marisa Tomei) at a local club he frequents, plus troubles re-establishing a non-existent relationship with his now grown daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) are in the mix.
Review - This is an absorbing film, a real character study into this man's world. Mickey Rourke does a phenomenal job playing this role - I'm not sure if he shouldn't have won the Best Actor Oscar over Sean Penn who won for "Milk" (both were excellent). That's sort of a sleazy strip club he goes too - Marisa Tomei does a pretty good job here as the typical film stripper with a heart of gold, so-to-speak. The film includes a number of rather bloody, violent wrestling scenes - ugh, hard to look at Mickey Rourke sometimes they've got him so messed-up and bedraggled looking in this. I thought this film was excellent and liked the heavy metal 80s music they used throughout this (yeah, in the early/mid 80s I definitely had a patch where my faves were Def Leppard, The Scorpions, Motley Crue, Ozzy). Rating - 9/10 stars
Review - This is an absorbing film, a real character study into this man's world. Mickey Rourke does a phenomenal job playing this role - I'm not sure if he shouldn't have won the Best Actor Oscar over Sean Penn who won for "Milk" (both were excellent). That's sort of a sleazy strip club he goes too - Marisa Tomei does a pretty good job here as the typical film stripper with a heart of gold, so-to-speak. The film includes a number of rather bloody, violent wrestling scenes - ugh, hard to look at Mickey Rourke sometimes they've got him so messed-up and bedraggled looking in this. I thought this film was excellent and liked the heavy metal 80s music they used throughout this (yeah, in the early/mid 80s I definitely had a patch where my faves were Def Leppard, The Scorpions, Motley Crue, Ozzy). Rating - 9/10 stars
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