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The Wrestler

Play trailer Poster for The Wrestler R Released Dec 17, 2008 1h 50m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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99% Tomatometer 228 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Aging wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) is long past his prime but still ready and rarin' to go on the pro-wrestling circuit. After a particularly brutal beating, however, Randy hangs up his tights, pursues a serious relationship with a long-in-the-tooth stripper (Marisa Tomei), and tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood). But he can't resist the lure of the ring and readies himself for a comeback.
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The Wrestler

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Critics Consensus

Mickey Rourke gives a performance for the ages in The Wrestler, a richly affecting, heart-wrenching yet ultimately rewarding drama.

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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator A story of personal ruin and while it certainly does echo Mickey's own life, it wouldn't be fair to say he is playing himself. Sure, Rourke's performance must have been informed by his own past, but that is different, as well as peculiarly powerful. Aug 29, 2018 Full Review Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online Great performances, great story. Rated: A Mar 21, 2017 Full Review Eddie Cockrell Sydney Morning Herald Who better than Rourke to sell the idea of a battered, yet proud pugilist in search of redemption? Rated: 4.5/5 Jan 22, 2009 Full Review Gayle Sequeira BFI Aronofsky makes movies about people who suffer for their art, but in The Wrestler, suffering is the art, the spectacle that people are so drawn to. A distillation of his most enduring themes, it still foregoes his more disorienting visual tricks. Aug 27, 2025 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand “Warm” and “human” are not two words you associate with Darren Aronofsky, but in 'The Wrestler' he is both, thanks in large part to the heartbreakingly open and vulnerable performance from Mickey Rourke, the comeback story of 2008. Apr 6, 2024 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review The Wrestler presents one of those rare occasions where the performance of its lead actor outweighs a film’s conventional story. Rated: 3/4 Sep 5, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Freddy C Uma história pesada e muito bem contada com muita linearidade planos definidos. O drama apresentado faz com que nós nos colocamos no lugar do Carneiro e entendemos uma pequena falha é que no final acabou muito rápido Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/09/25 Full Review Richard J This is a devastating film on every level and an absolute masterpiece. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/27/25 Full Review Colin K OUTSTANDING film, and its a mystery to me how anyone can give it less than maximum marks. If you can't find a fault with a film (the story, the quality of the acting etc), you've found 5/5. Simple as that. Personally, I always give bonus marks to a film if someone has tried to do something fresh and different, especially in an age when its the same tired and boring ideas over and over and over. This film needs no such bonus marks to boost it. I cannot be bothered to see who won the Oscar for best actor that year, but whoever it was they must have given a performance of earth-shattering proportions to get the nod ahead of Mickey Rourke for this. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/20/25 Full Review Jey D Aronofsky's best and one of the all-time great sports dramas. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/11/25 Full Review Graham M He should have won the Academy Award for this. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/10/25 Full Review Stephen C Success in 1 hour and 50 minutes!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Nudity, Language, Sexuality, Some Drug Use and Violence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $26,200,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/07/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Wrestler

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Movie Info

Synopsis Aging wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) is long past his prime but still ready and rarin' to go on the pro-wrestling circuit. After a particularly brutal beating, however, Randy hangs up his tights, pursues a serious relationship with a long-in-the-tooth stripper (Marisa Tomei), and tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood). But he can't resist the lure of the ring and readies himself for a comeback.
Director
Darren Aronofsky
Producer
Scott Franklin, Darren Aronofsky
Screenwriter
Robert D. Siegel
Distributor
Fox
Production Co
Protozoa Pictures, Wild Bunch
Rating
R (Nudity|Language|Sexuality|Some Drug Use|Violence)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 17, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 12, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$26.2M
Runtime
1h 50m
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