Mickey Rourke (17 page)

M
ICKEY BROUGHT HIS OWN IDEAS TO THE ROLE, GIVING
M
ARV A TOUGH GUY WALK APPARENTLY BORROWED FROM AN
IRA
GUNMAN HE HAD MET MANY YEARS EARLIER IN
I
RELAND.
B
ECAUSE HE DOESN’T LIKE WATCHING HIMSELF IN MOVIES,
M
ICKEY NEVER NORMALLY LOOKS AT PLAYBACKS ON MONITORS AFTER FILMING HIS SCENES.
B
UT HE MADE AN EXCEPTION ON
SIN CITY
BECAUSE WITH ALL THAT MAKE-UP IT WAS LIKE WATCHING SOMEONE ELSE ON CAMERA.
H
E BROKE ANOTHER HABIT HERE, TOO.
M
ICKEY HAD RARELY DONE ACTION SCENES UP TO THIS POINT – CHOOSING TO LET HIS STUNT DOUBLE DO THEM INSTEAD, RATHER THAN RISK INJURIES – BUT HE WAS HAPPY TO TAKE THEM ON IN
SIN CITY
, PARTICULARLY RELISHING A SCENE WHERE
M
ARV ATTACKS A BUNCH OF THUGS WITH AN AX.

M
ICKEY WAS ON FIRE IN THIS FILM, GETTING MANY OF HIS SCENES PERFECT ON THE FIRST TAKE.
T
HE CO-DIRECTORS WERE IMPRESSED BY HOW HE IMMERSED HIMSELF SO THOROUGHLY IN THE CHARACTER.
M
ILLER, WHO HAS A CAMEO AS A PRIEST SHOT DEAD BY
M
ARV, WOULD TELL THE CREW, “
H
E’S GOING IN,” WHENEVER HE SPIED
M
ICKEY READY TO INHABIT FULLY THE BROKENHEARTED ENFORCER CHARACTER.

M
ICKEY RESPONDED WELL TO WORKING AGAIN WITH
R
OBERT
R
ODRIGUEZ.
H
E THOUGHT THE MOVIEMAKER WAS INCREDIBLY COOL THE WAY HE WOULD WALK AROUND THE SET IN COWBOY HAT AND BOOTS, STRUMMING A GUITAR AND MAKING UP MUSIC FOR THE MOVIE’S SOUNDTRACK AND AT THE SAME TIME DIRECTING THE ACTION.

P
LAYING THE LIKABLE VIGILANTE IN
SIN CITY
BROUGHT
M
ICKEY SOME OF THE BEST REVIEWS HE HAD HAD IN A VERY LONG TIME, AND THE HUGE SUCCESS OF THE FILM – IT TOOK IN $120 MILLION WORLDWIDE – WHICH ALSO STARRED
B
RUCE
W
ILLIS,
J
ESSICA
A
LBA, AND
C
LIVE
O
WEN, INTRODUCED HIM TO A NEW GENERATION OF MOVIEGOERS.
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE WAS HOT AGAIN.
H
E GOT AN ESPECIALLY ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME IN
L
ONDON FROM THE CROWDS OUTSIDE AND THE AUDIENCE INSIDE THE
UK
PREMIERE OF
SIN CITY
, DURING WHICH HE SAT NEXT TO
M
ADONNA AND
G
UY
R
ITCHIE.

M
ICKEY TURNED DOWN A ROLE IN
G
UY
R
ITCHIE’S 2005 CRIME FILM
REVOLVER
IN ORDER TO WORK WITH DIRECTOR
T
ONY
S
COTT AGAIN IN
DOMINO
(2005).
T
HE MOVIE, FULL OF DIZZYING FAST CUTS BUT NOT VERY INVOLVING, WAS BASED ON THE TRUE STORY OF THE LATE
D
OMINO
H
ARVEY.
T
HE TITLE CHARACTER, PLAYED BY
K
EIRA
K
NIGHTLEY, WAS THE DAUGHTER OF FILM ACTOR
L
AURENCE
H
ARVEY WHO LEFT HER GLAMOROUS AND PAMPERED LIFE BEHIND TO BECOME A GUN-TOTING BOUNTY HUNTER.
M
ICKEY PLAYS
E
D
M
OSEBY, THE VETERAN BOUNTY HUNTER WHO TAKES HER UNDER HIS WING AND BECOMES A FATHER FIGURE.
T
HE CHARACTER WAS BASED ON REAL-LIFE BOUNTY HUNTER
E
D
M
ARTINEZ, WHO SERVED AS A CONSULTANT ON THE FILM.
M
ICKEY’S OLD FRIEND
C
HRISTOPHER
W
ALKEN WAS ALSO IN THE CAST AS A REALITY
TV
PRODUCER.

S
COTT HAD TO FIGHT TO CAST
M
ICKEY AHEAD OF A FLAVOR-OF-THE-MONTH ACTOR WHO WAS ALSO UP FOR THE PART.
M
ICKEY DIDN’T THINK DIRECTORS WOULD STILL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR HIM AFTER THE REPORTS OF HIS GOOD BEHAVIOR ON
ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO
, BUT THEY DID, AND HE WAS GRATEFUL TO
T
ONY
S
COTT FOR DOING SO – AND FOR HAVING THE SCRIPT REWRITTEN TO BEEF UP HIS PART.
T
HAT SCRIPT, FROM
DONNIE DARKO
’S
R
ICHARD
K
ELLY, FEATURED 123
F
-WORDS, A LOT EVEN FOR A
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE MOVIE.

M
ICKEY HASN’T ALWAYS BEEN COMPLIMENTARY ABOUT ACTRESSES, FINDING MANY OF THEM NEEDY, DUMB, AND SELF-ABSORBED, BUT HE WAS IMPRESSED BY
DOMINO
LEADING LADY
K
EIRA
K
NIGHTLEY, NOTING THAT THE
B
RITISH ACTRESS WAS A REAL LADY AND VERY DIFFERENT FROM HER
H
OLLYWOOD CONTEMPORARIES, SPENDING HER SPARE TIME READING BOOKS, FOR EXAMPLE, RATHER THAN ENDLESSLY TEXTING HER FRIENDS.
A
S HE WATCHED HIS POISED TWENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD CO-STAR BE WORD PERFECT ON EVERY TAKE, BE FRIENDLY TO EVERYONE, GIVE A CONVINCING PERFORMANCE IN A ROLE WHICH WAS SOMETHING OF A STRETCH FOR HER, AND ALWAYS TURN UP PUNCTUALLY ON SET, HE REFLECTED JUST HOW DIFFERENT HIS UNDISCIPLINED YOUNGER SELF HAD BEEN ON PREVIOUS MOVIES.

J
UST BEFORE
DOMINO
WAS DUE TO BE RELEASED, THIRTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD
D
OMINO
H
ARVEY WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE BATHTUB OF HER
H
OLLYWOOD HOME.
T
HE CORONER LATER RULED THAT SHE HAD DIED FROM AN ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE OF A POWERFUL PAINKILLER.
M
ICKEY, WHO HAD GOTTEN TO KNOW HER WHILE MAKING THE MOVIE AND HIT IT OFF WITH THE FASCINATING CHARACTER, WAS HIT HARD BY HER DEATH AND ATTENDED HER FUNERAL, WHICH HE FOUND PROFOUNDLY MOVING.
D
OMINO NEVER GOT TO SEE THE MOVIE.

M
ICKEY
R
OURKE HAS NOT EXACTLY BEEN FLOODED WITH OFFERS TO APPEAR IN FAMILY-FRIENDLY MOVIES, SO HE WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND HIMSELF FILMING
STORMBREAKER
(2006), A SPY ADVENTURE AIMED AT KIDS AND TEENS.
H
E WAS ALSO GLAD TO BE BACK IN
L
ONDON, ONE OF HIS FAVORITE CITIES, TO SHOOT THE MOVIE, WHICH WAS BASED ON THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF THRILLING AND BESTSELLING BOOKS BY
A
NTHONY
H
OROWITZ ABOUT A KIND OF JUNIOR
J
AMES
B
OND NAMED
A
LEX
R
YDER.
N
EWCOMER
A
LEX
P
ETTYFER PLAYED THE BOY HERO AND WAS SURROUNDED BY A QUALITY CAST INCLUDING
B
ILL
N
IGHY,
E
WAN
M
C
G
REGOR,
A
LICIA
S
ILVERSTONE,
A
NDY
S
ERKIS, AND
S
TEPHEN
F
RY.

M
ICKEY PLAYED THE VILLAIN
D
ARRIUS
S
AYLE, A FLAMBOYANTLY DRESSED TYCOON WITH AN ELABORATE PLAN TO TAKE REVENGE ON THE
B
RITISH PRIME MINISTER FOR BULLYING HIM WHEN THEY WERE AT SCHOOL TOGETHER BY KILLING ALL OF
B
RITAIN’S SCHOOLCHILDREN, WITH A COMPUTER VIRUS.
STORMBREAKER
FAILED TO MAKE A KILLING AT THE BOX OFFICE, THEREBY FOILING PLANS FOR THIS TO BE THE FIRST IN A FRANCHISE OF
A
LEX
R
YDER FILMS.

T
HERE HAD ALSO BEEN HIGH HOPES FOR
KILLSHOT
(2005/2009) BECAUSE IT WAS BASED ON A NOVEL BY
E
LMORE
L
EONARD, MANY OF WHOSE STORIES, INCLUDING
OUT OF SIGHT
,
GET SHORTY,
AND
3.10 TO YUMA
, HAD BEEN TURNED INTO SUCCESSFUL FILMS.
I
N A LEAD ROLE ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR
R
OBERT
D
E
N
IRO WHEN THE MOVIE WAS SET TO BE MADE SEVERAL YEARS EARLIER,
M
ICKEY WAS CAST AS HIT MAN
A
RMAND “
T
HE
B
LACKBIRD”
D
EGAS, A MENACING FIGURE WHO KILLS ANYONE WHO SEES HIS FACE.
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
DIRECTOR
J
OHN
M
ADDEN, WHOSE PERFECTIONIST APPROACH IMPRESSED
M
ICKEY, WAS BEHIND THE CAMERA AND HIT MAKER
H
ARVEY
W
EINSTEIN WAS PRODUCING.
W
ITH ALL THOSE IMPRESSIVE CREDENTIALS, IT’S SURPRISING THAT
KILLSHOT
HAD A LONG AND ROCKY JOURNEY TO THE SCREEN.
A
FTER FILMING IN 2005, AND UNDERGOING RESHOOTS AND HEAVY EDITING, THE MOVIE SAT ON THE SHELF FOR FOUR YEARS, WAS FINALLY RELEASED IN ONLY FIVE
A
RIZONA THEATERS IN
J
ANUARY 2009, AND CAME OUT NATIONALLY ON
DVD
FIVE MONTHS LATER.

D
ESPITE UNEVEN PACING AND SOME ABRUPT TRANSITIONS, THE FILM IS RESCUED BY A REALLY GOOD PERFORMANCE FROM
M
ICKEY AS THE HALF-
N
ATIVE
A
MERICAN AND COOL CONTRACT KILLER WHO IS RATTLED BY THE DEATH OF HIS YOUNGER BROTHER DURING AN ASSIGNMENT.
H
E THEN MAKES THE MISTAKE OF TEAMING UP WITH
R
ICHIE
N
IX, WELL PLAYED BY
J
OHN
G
ORDON
L
EVITT, A YOUNG, LOUDMOUTH CROOK WHO REMINDS HIM OF HIS LATE BROTHER.
W
HEN THEIR FIRST JOB TOGETHER GOES WRONG, TWO WITNESSES – AN ESTRANGED COUPLE PLAYED BY
D
IANE
L
ANE AND
T
HOMAS
J
ANE – GET AWAY AND FLEE INTO
FBI
WITNESS PROTECTION.
T
HE
B
LACKBIRD SPENDS THE REST OF THE FILM TRYING TO TRACK DOWN AND KILL THEM, AND THE CLIMACTIC SHOOTOUT IS BREATHLESSLY EXCITING.

I
T WAS ROUGH ON
M
ICKEY THAT AFTER FINALLY CLAWING HIS WAY TO A LEAD ROLE IN A PRESTIGIOUS FILM, EVERYTHING SHOULD FALL APART THROUGH NO FAULT OF HIS, AND HARDLY ANYONE GOT TO SEE THE MOVIE IN THEATERS.

T
HROUGH ALL THESE SETBACKS,
M
ICKEY SOMEHOW KEPT THE FAITH THAT ONE DAY A FILM WOULD COME ALONG THAT WOULD AGAIN ENABLE HIM TO SHOW WHAT A BRILLIANT ACTOR HE IS, AND THE WORLD WOULD SIT UP AND NOTICE.
T
HAT DAY FINALLY CAME WHEN HE LANDED THE LEAD ROLE IN
THE WRESTLER
(2008).
H
E PLAYS WASHED UP FORMER WRESTLING STAR
R
ANDY “
T
HE
R
AM”
R
OBINSON WHO NOW FIGHTS IN SMALL-TIME BOUTS AND SUPPLEMENTS HIS INCOME WITH PART TIME SUPERMARKET WORK.
W
HEN HIS HEALTH DECLINES, HE IS FORCED TO REASSESS HIS LIFE.

T
HERE IS A FULL CHAPTER LATER IN THIS BOOK ON THE MAKING OF
THE WRESTLER
.
H
ERE
I
JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE SUCCESS OF THAT FILM PROMPTED A STRING OF OFFERS FOR MORE GREAT ROLES, WHICH IS WHAT
M
ICKEY HAD WANTED FOR YEARS.
B
UT BEFORE HE KNEW ALL THOSE EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES WOULD BE COMING HIS WAY,
M
ICKEY ACCEPTED A SMALL ROLE IN
THE INFORMERS
(2009).

T
HIS ONE SAW
M
ICKEY PLAYING A THOROUGHLY UNPLEASANT CHARACTER – A PSYCHOTIC KIDNAPPER WHO SNATCHES KIDS FOR A GANG OF PEDOPHILES.
H
E HAS LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES OF SCREEN TIME BUT IS CREEPILY EFFECTIVE AND ODDLY APPEALING AS
R
OLEX– AND
R
AY-
B
ANS– WEARING SCUMBAG
P
ETER, WHO INVOLVES A HOTEL DOORMAN IN HIS LATEST KIDNAP SCHEME.
P
LAYING THAT RELUCTANT ACCOMPLICE ROLE WAS TWENTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD
B
RAD
R
ENFRO, THE TROUBLED FORMER CHILD STAR OF
THE CLIENT
WHO HAD BATTLED DRINK AND DRUG PROBLEMS FOR YEARS.
M
ICKEY BONDED WITH
B
RAD ON SET, WAS IMPRESSED WITH HIS YOUNG CO-STAR’S TALENT AND KEEN TO HELP HIM GET HIS LIFE BACK ON TRACK.
H
E INVITED
B
RAD TO COME AND STAY WITH HIM IN
N
EW
Y
ORK ANY TIME.
B
UT
R
ENFRO NEVER TOOK HIM UP ON THE OFFER.
S
HORTLY AFTER FILMING, THE ACTOR DIED OF AN ACCIDENTAL HEROIN OVERDOSE IN
J
ANUARY 2008, ONE WEEK BEFORE
H
EATH
L
EDGER DIED FROM AN ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION.
T
HE MOVIE WAS DEDICATED TO
B
RAD’S MEMORY.

THE INFORMERS
WAS ALSO NOTABLE FOR BEING THE FIRST TIME
K
IM
B
ASINGER AND
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE HAD STARRED IN THE SAME FILM SINCE
9½ WEEKS,
BUT THEY DIDN’T HAVE ANY SCENES TOGETHER.
W
HEN THEY MET ON THE RED CARPET AT THE PREMIERE IN
L
OS
A
NGELES, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD SEEN EACH OTHER IN TWENTY-THREE YEARS.
I
T WAS A HAPPY REUNION BECAUSE
K
IM HAD SENT
M
ICKEY A LETTER SAYING HOW MUCH SHE HAD ENJOYED
THE WRESTLER,
AND HE HAD BEEN SO TOUCHED TO RECEIVE IT THAT READING THE LETTER BROUGHT HIM TO TEARS.