1. The Wrestler - Mickey Rourke
I'll be honest: this was the only entry which couldn't be challenged for the greatest of all career comebacks. Before the midway point of the last decade, Mickey Rourke was nothing more than a has-been former action star, ravaged by dubious plastic surgery which has left him looking like a dummy version of his former self. Words really can't describe just how dead in the water Rourke's career was - he was a supporting character in the aforementioned abomination that was Stallone's Get Carter remake... that's how bad it got, people. Then, seemingly out of the blue, Rourke was given the role of Marv in Sin City. Immediate cult followed arrived, as wouldn't you know it, a giant, snarling, synthetic monster suited Rourke down to the ground. So a little headway was made in getting the man back into the world of vaguely respected actors. However, in the biggest shock to pretty much the entire film-viewing community, Rourke was determined to show just how good an actor he really was. In 2008, what was essentially the modern version of Rocky was released, starring Rourke as our down and out hero. The Wrestler is, simply put, one of the most outstanding performances from a lead actor seen up to that point. Rourke mumbles and growls his way through the whole movie, but does so with a frustrated, softer side, and really draws upon what we must imagine are the emotions he felt about his own career ebbing away, but strived for one last moment of glory. When you really think about it, his performance was so good, that no one really mentions that his finest moment came in spandex. But note: he had the sense about him to say no after just one Expendables movie, then signed himself up not only for an Iron Man role, but also to reprise his Marv in the upcoming Sin City sequel. Defines resurrection, if you were to ask me.
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