Sunday, June 06, 2010
Like a lot of people, I was hoping that Mickey Rourke’s job at the deli in the film “The Wrestler” was going to work out for him. I didn’t want him to be picking out staples out of his back—or worse. This job was humiliating for him, but I thought he was pretty good at it. Maybe he could have become manager or whatever.
But I have found this footage, which may explain why that didn’t come to be:
Full disclosure: I think this is funny, but no matter how many times I cut this, PEOPLE PERSIST IN THINKING THAT IT’S JUST A CLIP FROM THE MOVIE! This in spite of the fact that "I'm an old broken down piece of meat, and I'm alone...and I deserve to be all alone…" is arguably the film’s most famous line and IT'S IN THE TRAILER which I saw over a hundred times on TV. Mr. Rourke’s character, Randy, did not ONCE use that phrase to refer to deli meats! And when people asked him for smoked ham or egg salad or chicken--he politely gave all of them exactly what they wanted, no matter how rude or obnoxious they were. He did not serve anybody an old broken down piece of meat. And each person who came to his counter had a remarkably developed character, like the woman who asked for "a little more" and "a little less…" Arrrgggh!
Here’s why I think people think my crappy mashup is an actual scene from the movie? I think it's because Darren Aronofsky is such a brilliant director that he makes everything seem absolutely real. No matter what you do with his shots, they seem authentic. You can't take the realness out of his images, no matter how stupid you try to make them. The actual deli scenes are so filled with humor and frustration and pain that they vividly call up the feelings that everyone has who have ever had to work this kind of job--as I have--has felt intensely.
Aronofsky’s talent is such that these scenes are as alive as any of the more emotionally charged scenes, like his clumsy courtship of Marisa Tomei’s character, and he painful attempts to reach out to his estranged daughter, played by Evan Rachel Wood. And obviously I realize that screenwriter Robert Siegel didn’t choose a deli job for Randy arbitrarily. It is metaphor and a good one, particularly when you get to the horrifying moment that really marks Randy’s exit from his deli job in the story.
“The Wrestler” is a great film that will reward multiple viewings. And if you haven't seen it yet... rent it
