Rourke on the ropes

If there's a Mickey Rourke bandwagon, and it seems there is, Gold Rush commenter Jesse isn't on it.

"It would be different if he was so amazing in 'The Wrestler,' but truthfully he was not that great. He should not win; his nomination was his reward."

And as for that comeback for the rehabbed, best-actor-nominated star?

"Don't they have to actually like you to begin with? It's not like he was doing Oscar caliber work before."

Harsh!

History is on your side, Jesse, where the Academy tends not to reward the bad boys. That is, until they turn into good boys, defined as cleaning themselves up, dropping the 'tude, shaking some hands and acting like adults.

Rourke, who ended a drawn-out dry spell (if you don't count "Sin City" or "Domino") with a heartbreaking turn as pro grappler Randy "The Ram" Robinson is doing just that. Will it win him enough friends/votes to beat out frontrunner Sean Penn? Not sure about that, but it's a good debate topic. Discuss!

Comments

[William]

People need to separate the actor from the performance because they seem to be rewarding the whole package and it doesn't seem fair -- this is no Raging Bull performance. I'm surprised that Frank langella has not gotten more traction == because he would seem to be the safe choice -- which is what it seems like many academy members are -- conservative older men.