"The King of Wrestling" is a movie with a completely unconventional plot at first glance: nearly twenty years ago, he was an invincible star on the wrestling field; twenty years later, the veteran who still struggles on the field with a seemingly robust but injured body still has to be moved by the hypermarket on weekdays, otherwise he can't even pay the rent. At the end of the film, he has to face a seemingly glorious comeback but it may also be the last game of his life.
Isn't it like a wrestling version of Rocky? No! It's like climbing a mountain, "Rocky" is a cable car up, you just think the scenery is beautiful, quickly and smoothly reach the end; "King of Wrestling" Mickey Locke is climbing by step, there are many obstacles along the road alone, occasionally because of the willow dark flowers are clear and happy, but more often breathless, even can not guarantee a safe arrival. The process is completely different, and the consequentiality also affects how you feel about the result.
Director Darren Aronofsky does not shy away from wrestling as a sporting competition full of "performance", and although it may be possible to win or lose in advance, the process is still full of all kinds of sadistic/masochistic relationships that cannot be witnessed (and for wrestling fans, it may be bloody). The few games that didn't take long for the movie to start were absolutely shocking. However, this is not as uncomfortable as after returning to the flat.
There are two scenes that I have always remembered: one is that Mickey Locke attends the legendary wrestling star autograph meeting of Mencolo Finch, while selling his own video tapes and group photos to "make a living", while looking at the "miserable situation" of other former good hands, some of them are crippled, and some of them are hanging urine bags, and the contrast between memories and reality is completely unspeakable;
The other was that he was assigned by the manager of the supermarket to go to the front desk to cut meat and scoop the salad, and when he walked from the warehouse to the stall, he was worried about being recognized, but the applause of the crowd when the wrestling star appeared in his ears.
After a near-fatal heart attack, he does consider quitting wrestling and looking back at his failed relationships, including regaining a relationship with a daughter he hadn't seen for years, and a love affair with a stripper (Marissa Tomei, who didn't hesitate to show D' performance).
However, the world is not as good as imagined, even if each other are interested in repairing or establishing new relationships, but people's personalities and habits do not necessarily change, and a little hesitation or mistake may make the careful emotional management on the verge of rupture.
The level of realism of "King of Wrestling" makes it a non-simple inspirational film, which also makes Micky Locke's final decision to risk his life to return to the stage justified but also full of praise, because only here can he feel the value of his "needed".
Mickey Locke's performance in the film is simply amazing, watching him interpret the wrestling veteran who is not with me for a long time, the kind of emotion is not only similar to the situation between the two.
It is true that the layer of frost makes his performance more convincing, but from the hard work on the field to the overwhelm on the field, the delicate acting skills under the rough edge of Mickey Locke are the most important successful elements of this film.
In the Oscar-losing "Wrestling King", the day before, he won best picture, cinematography, and actor at the Independent Spirit Awards (Mickey Locke was here, and the Golden Globes and the British Academy Awards beat Sean Penn). The impact of the film awards should not be underestimated; but winning or losing will not change the fact that Sean Penn and Mickey Locke's performances are brilliant.