1. The Wrestler
Director: Darren Aronofsky. Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei. Theres very little I can say about Dannen Aronofskys Oscar-nominated portrait of Randy The Ram Robinsons final comeback that hasnt already been said. Mickey Rourke plays the washed up star of 80s professional wrestling with a burning intensity, drawing from his own experience as a prize fighter. Ram's road-diary is also a who's who of the the contemporary independent wrestling scene, featuring cameos from WWE'S R-Truth, Claudio Castagnoli and, notably, Necro Butcher. Perhaps the most unexpected response to the Wrestler came from the professional wrestling community itself. In an
interview, Aronofsky said, came to a screening and he broke down in Mickeys arms at the end crying because his story is finally being told. I mean these wrestlers were on the road 350 days a year abusing their bodies the way, you know, only a tip of what we showed. Most of them can't tie their shoelaces and most of them dont have a pension or healthcare, and they were performing for two/three hundred dollars a week. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61-GFxjTyV0 Even WWE boss Vince McMahon approved the movie in a private screening in New York. Fairly soon, WWE confirmed Rourke would made an appearance at Wrestlemania 25 against Chris Jericho, once again uncomfortably blurring the lines between fact and fantasy. The Wrestler is a must-see for fans, wrestlers and anyone involved in the wrestling industry. Click "next" below for our conclusion on the greatest movies about wrestling;
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this list. As said in the introduction, it is by no means exhaustive and does not include many of the excellent wrestling documentaries that have been produced over the years, including The Last of McGuiness and Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows. Some of the movies mentioned are explicitly about the sport of professional wrestling like The Wrestler. Others use wrestling to create humour like Ready to Rumble and Nacho Libre. Some, like No Holds Barred, are little more than extended promos. But what do you make of this list? Did you love it? Hate it? Let us know in the comments below.