Sliced Hand
"The best sequence in The Wrestler, even more likely to lodge in your mind than the soaring sadness of the climax, takes place not on the wrestlers' canvas, with its carpet of blood and broken glass, but at the deli counter of the supermarket," writes New Yorker critic Anthony Lane in the current issue.
Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler
"Here Randy (Mickey Rourke), needing the money, dons a protective hairnet and doles out pasta salad. He even pins on a name tag that says 'Robin,' randiness being too rich for this clientele. The dent to his pride is profound, more wounding than any professional blow to the head, and the scene closes in agony, as he takes out his frustration on a meat slicer.
"But here's the thing: while the job lasts, he's pretty good at it, bringing a brief shaft of pleasure to the customers, and suffering any taunts that come his way. What Rourke offers us, in short, is not just a comeback performance but something much rarer: a rounded, raddled portrait of a good man. Suddenly, there it is again -- the charm, the anxious modesty, the never-distant hint of wrath, the teen-age smiles, and all the other virtues of a winner.
"No wonder people warmed to Randy Robinson twenty years ago. I felt the same about Mickey Rourke, and I still do."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on December 8, 2008 at 4:28 PM
comment #1
Luke Y. Thompson
says ...
I think the key to the scene is not just him being a good man...but that, having had to give up a profession that's all about crowd-pleasing, showmanship, and audience interaction, he tries to find a way to bring those qualities to his new crappy job. Ultimately, though, the frustration overcomes the performance.
Posted by Luke Y. Thompson
at December 8, 2008 5:01 PM
comment #2
Chase Kahn
says ...
This movie works so well because of those small scenes like the ones behind the deli. However, I felt one of the best scenes was when he asks the neighborhood kid to play video games -- Randy breaks out the old 8-bit NES (playing himself in a wrestling game) while the kid talks about 'Call of Duty 4'...
Posted by Chase Kahn
at December 8, 2008 5:46 PM
comment #3
NotImpressed1Yet
says ...
I'm looking forward to seeing this movie based off all the good buzz here as well as the knowledge that Marisa Tomei gets naked (ok, I also honestly like her as an actress too, quite a bit). The picture here is hilarious and I can also imagine slightly heartbreaking in the movie.
Of all the pictures I've seen of Rourke in the past year, at least in this one it looks semi-normal and not butchered by a plastic surgeon.
Posted by NotImpressed1Yet
at December 8, 2008 6:26 PM
comment #4
kintnerboy
says ...
I'm going to see this tomorrow night at the Walter Reade, followed by a chap with the producer, screenwriter, dp and editor. There's still some (cheap) tickets available if anyone's interested. Can't wait.
Posted by kintnerboy
at December 8, 2008 7:04 PM
comment #5
kintnerboy
says ...
Ugh. That should say *chat* of course.
Posted by kintnerboy
at December 8, 2008 7:06 PM
comment #6
drbob
says ...
Is anyone bothered by the fact that Mickey Rourke obviously took massive amounts of steroids for this role? It's one thing to gain or lose lots of weight ala Deniro, but steroid use I think pushes the envelope a little too far. Just asking.
Posted by drbob
at December 8, 2008 7:33 PM
comment #7
Bilge
says ...
drbob, I think Rourke took the roids well before this role. That's part of how he f*cked up his career.
Posted by Bilge
at December 8, 2008 8:00 PM
comment #8
p.Vice
says ...
Lane calls himself a Rourke fan and yet he has nothing to say about Barfly or Johnny Handsome?
Posted by p.Vice
at December 8, 2008 8:04 PM
comment #9
berg
says ...
the thing about the hand slice scene is the sound of the slicer at the beginning of the sequence .... when that blade starts whirring you just know something bad is going to happen
Posted by berg
at December 8, 2008 9:17 PM
comment #10
CinematicallyCorrect.com
says ...
Actually, my favorite sequence is leading up to Randy's first day of work on the deli counter. The way the camera follows him as he walks through the back of the store & the crowd noise gave me chills. It's a signature-type kind of moment for the movie & Darren Aronofsky. It's right there with the "Goodfellas" stretch shot at the diner if you ask me.
Posted by CinematicallyCorrect.com
at December 9, 2008 7:03 AM
comment #11
ZayTonday
says ...
The thing about the meat slicer part that got me was the fact that when he felt backed into a corner he reverted to what he knew best; injuring himself to make a scene.
Oh and whoever wanted to see this movie just to see Marisa Tomei naked, check out Before The Devil Knows You're Dead to see Philip Seymour Hoffman doing her doggystyle in the opening scene.
Posted by ZayTonday
at December 10, 2008 12:30 AM
comment #12
Kenfusion
says ...
Have to agree with CinematicallyCorrect.com. Just saw it at the Landmark with an after screening discussion with Mickey, Marisa, Evan, and Darin. First day of work at the deli counter was inspired and chill inducing.
Posted by Kenfusion
at December 11, 2008 1:17 AM
comment #13
dd
says ...
The thing about the meat slicer part that got me was the fact that when he felt backed into a corner he reverted to what he knew best; injuring himself to make a scene.
Designer Handbags
Posted by dd
at May 10, 2010 11:43 PM
comment #14
janee
says ...
Si vous etes interesses par le dossier, ou desirez en savoir plus, contactez-moi par mail, et je vous mettrai en contact.
Best regards,Jane, CEO of high availability clustering
Posted by janee
at May 19, 2011 3:38 AM