Feel Good Movies: Pi v. The Wrestler

Last night I watched Darren Aronosfsky’s 2008 movie, The Wrestler, and afterwards I made a facetious Facebook comment about how uplifting his films are, sparking something of a debate as to which of his four films was the least depressing: The Wrestler, The Fountain, Requiem for a Dream, or Pi. There seemed to be some agreement around the idea that Pi was the most uplifting, if any. Both Pi and The Wrestler offer a bleak look at the nature of individual identity and fulfillment. In both films we see the main characters alone and enslaved to their passions. Clearly each has suffered as a result of their gifts, but Aronofsky seems to offer only two ways out from under the thumb of such passions: self-mutilation or self-destruction. Being true to oneself brings suffering, but then so does breaking free.