Rourke's 'The Wrestler' has North Jersey roots

Credit a group of real-life, small-time wrestlers at a Parsippany gym with helping Mickey Rourke get off the canvas of a nearly wrecked career to win a Golden Globe this week as best actor for his performance in "The Wrestler."

The movie takes place in the seamy underworld of small-time professional wrestling, where life is depicted as a series of Saturday night smack downs that regularly send dreams crashing to the canvas.

Critics have praised the film, which opens Friday in North Jersey, as both a realistic portrayal and a real-life comeback for its leading man, the often-troubled Rourke. The actor delivers a heart-breaking performance that is generating serious Oscar buzz. East Coast Professional Wrestling provided many of the wrestlers Rourke grapples with in the film....More?

source: northjersey.com