The Wrestler not only features a knockout performance by Mickey Rourke, but it also marks a departure of sorts for director Darren Aronofsky. Known for more stylized efforts like the brilliant Requiem For a Dream and the passionate The Fountain, Aronofsky switches gears telling his latest story in a documentary like fashion. This lends a real sense of intimacy to this powerful film.

In The Wrestler, a stellar Mickey Rourke plays Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a shining star from the 80's wrestling scene who shows no signs of slowing down in the new millenium. After a health scare however, The Ram has to decide whether or not retiring is the right thing to do.

The Wrestler certainly has shades of Rocky, but this film has a little more edge to it. And even though there are moments when this movie appears as if it might go soft, Aronofsky and screenwriter Robert D. Siegel pull back. They never allow The Wrestler to wallow in a sea of schmaltzy sentimentality. The Ram is a likable personality to be sure, but he's also a flawed man as is evident when we're witness to the strained relationship between he and his estranged daughter (played by Evan Rachel Wood).

As a film about relationships, The Wrestler is bittersweet. Be it the previously mentioned father/daughter dynamic or the tender bond that develops between The Ram and carefree stripper Cassidy (wonderfully played by Marisa Tomei), these relationships go in unexpected directions.

As a film about wrestling, The Wrestler is grueling in it's depiction of a sport that, while mostly an elaborate act, is still a physically exhausting venture for all those involved. These guys are performers, but they get hurt. They're like glorified stuntmen. What's really special about the wrestling insight is we see the true camaraderie amongst these men. They have the utmost respect and admiration for one another even though their "in the ring" personas would have you believe otherwise.

Finally, we can't do a write up about The Wrestler without talking about the incomparable Mickey Rourke. His Randy "The Ram" Robinson feels like the character he's been working towards playing his whole career. His worn down, beat up face says it all. This is a vulnerable, fierce, physical, and surprisingly funny turn. In fact, it is the much welcome humor that keeps The Wrestler from sinking in a pool of depression. The Ram is a sad, lonely man, but when he‘s doing what he loves, he comes alive. Watching him bring that same sort of liveliness to a 9-5 gig at a grocery store is an absolute hoot. In fact, it's one of the most charming moments in the picture because it is in this moment that The Ram realizes that life in the real world isn't all bad. Life is what you make it. As for the wrestling scenes, Rourke has worked hard to bring a bone crunching authenticity to the proceedings and he pulls it off with flying colors. This really is an astonishing performance. It's every bit as worthy as the buzz suggests.

The Wrestler is a rousing film about a man who actually feels safer in the ring than he does in the real world, and the movie gets this simplistic point across in a surprisingly restrained fashion. With Rourke's tour de force performance and Darren Aronofsky's deft touch behind the camera, The Wrestler emerges as one of the best pictures of the year. I can't wait to see it again.