Mickey Rourke stars as Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a once superstar wrestler on the downswing trying to hold his life together. Much has been made of Rourke's performance, but "The Ram" is truely one of the most endearing characters in cinema history. A lot of that has to do with Darern Aranofsky as well. His direction here is subtle and to the point. We literally follow Randy through he's daily and prematch routine. Wrestling is his art and we see his life imitating his art. In fact wrestling is his life. Forever trapped in the heyday of his career Randy holds onto the music and style of the 80's as if he's holding an opponent in a headlock. When Randy has a heart attack he loses it all. No long able to wrestle he turns to the only person who seems to care about him, a stripper played by Marisa Tomei. Randy tries to reconcile with his daughter but when that fails has no option but to return to the one arena where is loved unconditionally. Even if it might take his life.
First off, I just have to say that Terry Gilliam is a genius. He's made some of the most visually innovative and original movies ever. Unfortunately he's also made Tideland. You know your in for a challenge when before the movie begins the director appears on screen and announces that he is aware that some people will hate this movie, some may love it and others will have no idea what to make of it. Normally I LOVE strange off beat and odd movies, but on this one I fall into categories 1 and 3.. Tideland is a bleak seemlingly pointless film. It's told through the eyes of a child and is supposedly a celebration of innocence and imagination but lacks both. It's bleak and creepy. It "stars" Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Tilly, although both die off before ever actually doing anything. I was so off put by this movie that I turned it off mid way through, so I'll do the same with this review.
