Post by Sal on Mar 20, 2009 12:07:45 GMT -5
i saw the wrestler almost a month ago, but since it seems that a lot of us have seen it, i think it should make for a good thread.
i thought the film was flawed in a lot of ways. i was annoyed before the opening shot was even concluded. (where the camera follows rourke from behind, w/o revealing his face). i thought that shot screamed "hey! this movie is gritty! get it?! oh, and it's unconventional too!" i thought the movie had a bunch of moments like this, all distasteful. i'm not sure what the motivation was for withholding rourke's face for the first shot (it was for a few shots, right?) was, but when his close-up did finally come, i didn't think it was particularly powerful or shocking, which i guess is what they were going for. it didn't take long for the audience to figure out what was going on, either. after only a few seconds, you realize "okay, i guess they're not going to show the character's face for a few shots". whatever, i thought it became a bit gimmicky.
that first sequence of shots was pretty indicative of the movie. i thought the movie was consciously a big movie that had to be a small movie, so made nods to that, but wanted to be that small movie that was epic in its own way, bla bla bla...it felt almost as if the movie resented not being big time blockbuster. i don't know, there seemed to be hints of dishonesty to me.
i think that there are only a few themes that narrative deals with, and setting them up in the world of "fake" wrestling is interesting.
the cinematography was good, especially in the backstage areas at the gyms and/or the auditoriums where the ex-wrestlers gave autographs. the supermarket rourke worked in was lit a lot like the backstage areas, which i found interesting. the cinematographer, maryse alberti, also worked on the vastly superior Crumb.
the story line with the daughter was rushed, but i didn't have a problem with it. it seemed like they had an idea for the daughter, but didn't want to expand, but didn't want to lose it either. their exchanges were altogether unbelievable, but i wasn't offended really.
the bruce springsteen song at the end sucked so bad. i know we all love Nebraska, but can we admit that the boss has turned into a cheeseball?
the ending: i thought it was cheap, and it's not too hard to sell me on ambiguous endings.
overall, not a bad movie, but i'm not sure why it was everyone's darling a couple of months ago. i think i do know, but i'm not a fan.
something better if you're looking to watch a complete good for nothing asshole who totally sucks in every way, and has almost no redeemable qualities, but still, somehow, elicits your sympathy: eastbound and down! kenny powers tells it like it is.
i thought the film was flawed in a lot of ways. i was annoyed before the opening shot was even concluded. (where the camera follows rourke from behind, w/o revealing his face). i thought that shot screamed "hey! this movie is gritty! get it?! oh, and it's unconventional too!" i thought the movie had a bunch of moments like this, all distasteful. i'm not sure what the motivation was for withholding rourke's face for the first shot (it was for a few shots, right?) was, but when his close-up did finally come, i didn't think it was particularly powerful or shocking, which i guess is what they were going for. it didn't take long for the audience to figure out what was going on, either. after only a few seconds, you realize "okay, i guess they're not going to show the character's face for a few shots". whatever, i thought it became a bit gimmicky.
that first sequence of shots was pretty indicative of the movie. i thought the movie was consciously a big movie that had to be a small movie, so made nods to that, but wanted to be that small movie that was epic in its own way, bla bla bla...it felt almost as if the movie resented not being big time blockbuster. i don't know, there seemed to be hints of dishonesty to me.
i think that there are only a few themes that narrative deals with, and setting them up in the world of "fake" wrestling is interesting.
the cinematography was good, especially in the backstage areas at the gyms and/or the auditoriums where the ex-wrestlers gave autographs. the supermarket rourke worked in was lit a lot like the backstage areas, which i found interesting. the cinematographer, maryse alberti, also worked on the vastly superior Crumb.
the story line with the daughter was rushed, but i didn't have a problem with it. it seemed like they had an idea for the daughter, but didn't want to expand, but didn't want to lose it either. their exchanges were altogether unbelievable, but i wasn't offended really.
the bruce springsteen song at the end sucked so bad. i know we all love Nebraska, but can we admit that the boss has turned into a cheeseball?
the ending: i thought it was cheap, and it's not too hard to sell me on ambiguous endings.
overall, not a bad movie, but i'm not sure why it was everyone's darling a couple of months ago. i think i do know, but i'm not a fan.
something better if you're looking to watch a complete good for nothing asshole who totally sucks in every way, and has almost no redeemable qualities, but still, somehow, elicits your sympathy: eastbound and down! kenny powers tells it like it is.