The Wrestler Wins Golden Lion @ Venice Film Festival
I'm dead tired from NYC fashion show weekend trip, so the post will be light today, but I wanted to share the early buzz and reviews for Mickey Rourke and Director Darren Aronofsky's The Westler. The film won the Golden Lion at 65th Venice Film Festival and was picked up by Fox Searchlight for December 2008 distribution. Congratulation to Aronofsky, Rourke and the rest of the Wrestler team. So enjoy the clip below -
WireImage
Variety: Talk about comebacks. After many years in the wilderness and being considered MIA professionally, Mickey Rourke, just like the washed-up character he plays, attempts a return to the big show in “The Wrestler.” Not only does he pull it off, but Rourke creates a galvanizing, humorous, deeply moving portrait that instantly takes its place among the great, iconic screen performances. An elemental story simply and brilliantly told, Darren Aronofsky’s fourth feature is a winner from every possible angle, although it will require deft handling by a smart distributor to overcome public preconceptions about Rourke, the subject matter and the nature of the film.
The Hollywood Reporter: Rourke dispenses with all vanity to plumb the depths of this well-meaning but severely damaged man. Tomei delivers one of her most arresting performances, again without any trace of vanity. Wood’s part is smaller, but she captures the scalding anger of a woman neglected for most of her life.
The deal was brokered on Fox Searchlight's side by Senior Vice President of Acquisitions Tony Safford and Vice President of Business Affairs Megan O'Brien. Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which packaged the film, is handling the North American rights. Darren Aronofsky was represented by CAA and Carlos Goodman.
Fox Searchlight Pictures is a specialty film company that both finances and acquires motion pictures. It has its own marketing and distribution operations, and its films are distributed internationally by Twentieth Century Fox. Fox Searchlight Pictures is a unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, a unit of Fox Entertainment Group.
