Okay, so I finally watched this Academy-nominated film last night and thought it was the perfect ode to the American zeitgeist: "Wreck everyone around you, take responsibility for nothing."
Randy "The Ram" is a broken down wrestler who wrecks everything and everyone he touches. You're supposed to feel pained sympathy but the guy is a complete idiot. He's had a heart attack, not because he has broken himself down as a wrestler, but because he snorts, injects and swallows everything put in front of him. The whole film is an account of Randy's trail of destruction and trauma that I'm not sure the producer pondered:
1. His wife/girlfriend is non-existent and perhaps dead (he has a daughter).
2. His daughter is apparently a lesbian (with unstated hatred for men b/c of him).
3. He ruins his daughter's last gasp at a relationship with him because, at the age 50+ he's snorting coke and making a booty call.
4. He gets angry when a fan recognizes him at the deli counter so Randy: (a) smashes his hand into the meat-slicer in front of a bunch of regular folk (b) starts screaming obscenities while flinging blood around and smearing it on his face (c) assaults numerous people (including children) (d) all while kicking and punching his way out of the store.
5. Wrestles an old friend (Ayatollah/Bob) who tries to help him in the middle of the match (the Ram's having a coronary). Randy presumably has a heart attack and dies while diving onto and likely traumatizing Bob forever.
6. Kills himself before his potential new girlfriend.
7. Leaves behind a stinky old trailer that has to be cleaned and hauled away.
Yes, a lovely film about a rotten chap who made sure his rotten life had maximum destructive effect on everyone around him, stranger and friend. Two thumbs down.
Comments