The Return of Mickey Rourke
For some, former pretty-boy and style-icon Mickey Rourke's much lauded return to the screen in Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler is something of a surprise. However, his apparent ressurection is no bolt from the blue for die-hard fans. All hail the return of Mickey Rourke…
Believe it or not, Mickey Rourke is being tipped for an Oscar for his "comeback" role as a burnt-out wrestler pining for his 80's hey-day (clearly the part has struck a chord with the former pin-up). Everyone and his sister is now jumping back on the Mickey jamboree.
But for those of us who stuck with the pug-faced goon through the hard times, this hurts. It hurts bad.
Apart from his masterful turn in Vince Gallo's Buffalo 66 (a kind of anomaly), his comeback proper began with Steve Buscemi's Animal Factory in 2000. It's likely that your mind cannot sufficiently imagine Rourke as a transvestite, so check out his brief appearance – it's a classic. An even smaller part in Sean Penn's The Pledge (2001) pretty much redefined the cameo. Give the man 60 seconds and he'll break your heart. Watch his transcendental turn here...
Modest but impactful roles in Spun, Masked and Anonymous, Once Upon a Time in Mexico and Man on fire followed. Something incredible was happening, Mickey was making uncharacteristically good decisions. And things really kicked off again for the bruised one in Robert Rodriguez's Sin City (2005), breathing a little heart and soul into the knuckle-head, Marv.
All of a sudden, the dark days of the 90's seemed a distant memory. But I think I deserve just as much credit for Rourke's comeback as he does. Because it took as much guts to watch the films he appeared in as it must have to act in them. Double Team, with the explosive duo of Van Damme and Dennis Rodman; Bullet, with Tupac Shakur; Harley Davidson and the Marlborough Man, with Don "The Don" Johnson; They Crawl, with a coterie of cockroaches; and Shergar, with numerous horses.
We've all heard about the boxing obsession, the plastic surgery, the insane rejection of lead roles in The Untouchables, Highlander, Platoon, Rain Man and Tombstone… but Rourke is one hell of an actor – one of the best of his generation – and his ability always shines through.
His dazzling, complex turns in Rumblefish and Angel Heart are idiosyncratic master performances. I think of him as a kind of John Cazale who survived: he has a genuine gift for approaching dialogue and characters from unforeseen perspectives.
And let's not forget his style… no-one ever pulled off grimy New York cache better than Mickey. Just check him out in The Pope of Greenwich Village. Suit collars up, hands in pockets, cigarette dancing on his lips. He shares with James Spader a brilliant knack for making simple tasks like standing and walking acts of cool desperation.
Okay, so Mickey might be back for most movie-goers in The Wrestler (which looks better than most of the movies of 2008!). But for many of us The Motorcycle Boy never went away. So, don't call it a comeback… please!
Paolo cabrelli
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