Some actors lose their way; others throw it away. That was Rourke in the ’90s when, after tons of early promise as a stud with fallen-angel appeal in Diner, Rumblefish, The Pope of Greenwich Village and Barfly, he alienated everybody with his bad attitude and worse habits. The raves for his strong, poignant work in Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler, as a has-been pro fighter trying to reconnect with life, are in part the critics’ way of saying welcome back and best wishes. No question he’ll be nominated for an Oscar. This time Rourke’s big battle will be for the statuette, and his opponent will be Sean Penn (in Milk).
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61-GFxjTyV0]