10 Underrated Films From Great Directors

Mickey Rourke gives the performance of his career in this brutally honest character study of an aging professional wrestler. Unless you're a fan of the medium, Pro Wrestling is often looked down on by society as something that's 'fake'. Aronofsky's authentic and visceral drama shows the destruction these wrestlers put their bodies through and the difficult lives they often live in order to entertain their fans.

The film doesn't rely on sweeping philosophical debates and eccentric editing like the rest of Aronofsky's filmography is known for. Instead, The Wrestler is a grounded examination of one man who is destroying himself and his relationships in order to continue doing what he loves the most. It is heart-breaking at times and incredibly truthful when it comes to a world that is rarely taken seriously.

Managing to be both touching and saddening, The Wrestler is Aronofsky's most personal and down to earth film. Its simple approach to showing the life of a complex man is one of its greatest strengths. Just because it doesn't feel like an emotional odyssey like has come to be expected from Aronofsky, doesn't mean it's any less powerful.