The Wrestler/Tear Jerker
Tear Jerkers in The Wrestler include:
- Randy has lost his only friend, his daughter has forsaken him, and will probably suffer a fatal heart-attack if he goes through with his final match. He does anyway, exhibits the same warning signs he did earlier, and still goes to the top rope for his Finishing Move. With all due respect to the legacy of Harvey Milk, Mickey Rourke deserved the Oscar for Best Actor.
- Sean Penn played a male homosexual activist, which is one of the most exemplified roles a person can be in. Rourke, on the otherhand, played a professional wrestler, who to this day never receive the credit they deserve. Rourke's performance was easily head-and-shoulders above Penn's, but Rourke stood no chance.
- The small wrestling function that showed various aged wrestlers selling their merchandise to a meager amount of fans.
- The steady buildup of Guns 'n Roses' "Sweet Child of Mine". It finally kicked in as Randy's entrance theme, and coupled with Rourke's little monologue to his love interest
- Back to The Wrestler