The Wrestler

2008 US Darren Aronofsky
✰✰ 1/2

Precisely-styled, but clean and conventional "sports" movie. Good contrast between brutal fight scenes (ouch!) and pitiful existence (Nintendo!), but daughter scenes: bleh. Ending similar. Could have been tragic, but why the excessive post-processing, why the stripper racing against time? Best scene is in supermarket as Wrestler gets worn down, chucks salad. Iran doesn't like Ayatollah breaking in-half Iranian flag. Confession: Mickey Rourke is good, give him that.