Mickey Rourke's Face: Rise, Fall, Return

Rourke almost out-sexied Kathleen Turner in Lawrence Kasdan's modern film.This is a film noir classic.Rourke plays the world's sexiest arsonist. He warns William Hurt's Ned that playing with fire might burn you. Rourke does not appear in many scenes, but his handsome, rugged face puts Hollywood on notice.

Barry Levinson's coming-of-age drama sets the stage for everything from Seinfeld to Tarantino.SeinfeldThe film started the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game. Paul Reiser, Daniel Stern, Tim Daly, Mr. Bacon, and Steve Guttenberg starred as Jewish men in 1950s Baltimore.

Rourke, who loved Elvis, hangs out with this group. He brings rock, roll, and danger to Levinson's film. People quickly forgive him for almost seducing his best friend's wife, Ellen Barkin. Seeing that face daily might mess with your morality.

Mickey Rourke plays the partially deaf, colorblind Motorcycle Boy in Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation ofThis role shows Rourke's strangeness while still establishing him as a movie star.If Rumble Fish was meant to avoid playing the romantic lead, 9 1/2 Weeks swung Rourke toward his sex appeal. This movie shows Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger at their peak.

Director Adrian Lyne's focus on black, white, and gray colors brings out the steaminess.9 1/2 Weeks.9 1/2 Weeks is like a smarter version of Fifty Shades of Grey.9 1/2 WeeksThe movie focuses on Mickey Rourke's sex appeal. This film shows Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger at their peak.

Director Adrian Lyne's use of black, white, and gray creates the steaminess.9 1/2 WeeksAngel Heart was mostly known for Rourke's explicit sex scene with Lisa Bonet. This action angered her TV Dad, Bill Cosby. Consider the irony of that.In Angel Heart, Rourke plays private detective Harry Angel. He investigates grisly murders in a creepy New Orleans. The movie initially failed at the box office but gained traction on home video as a neo-horror-mystery nearing classic status.Barfly may not show Rourke's face best, but it displays his actor depth and range. In a role nominated for an Independent Spirit Award, Rourke plays Charles Bukowski's thinly veiled version as he drinks away his problems. Faye Dunaway and Frank Stallone play him. Rourke needed two more decades to find a role that challenged him this much.Fifty Shade of GreyRent this film; people acted sleazy then. You could defend the choice by saying, "I loved him in"Diner.

At the time, Angel HeartRourke's explicit sex scene with Lisa Bonet angered her TV Dad, Bill Cosby. Consider the irony.

In Angel HeartRourke plays private detective Harry Angel, investigating grisly murders in a creepy New Orleans. The movie initially failed at the box office but gained traction on home video as a neo-horror-mystery near a classic.

BarflyBarfly showed Rourke's acting depth and range. Rourke plays a version of Charles Bukowski in a role nominated for an Independent Spirit Award while drinking away his troubles. Faye Dunaway and Frank Stallone played him. Rourke needed two more decades before he found a role that challenged him this much.

The plot mirrors this list backward. Rourke's Johnny starts as a lowlife hoodlum. Partners betray him during a robbery. In prison, Johnny gets an experimental procedure on his face. He changes from looking like the protagonist fromMaskhis cousin to looking like MICKEY F'ING ROURKE.

Director Walter Hill strikes the right tone with a top cast. Morgan Freeman, Lance Henriksen, Ellen Barkin, and Forest Whitaker join the film. It is pulp, and mighty tasty pulp.

The next few years hurt Mickey Rourke. Tabloids filled up with him. Boxing damaged his face; his feature films did not improve.Harley Davidson and the Marlboro ManThis had some potential with a clever title. The director ofLonesome Dove, and a hairless Don Johnson. But this was notButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, especially since Rourke started looking like a non-union Rourke impersonator.

Exit in Redplays likeBody Heatis its slow cousin. There is murder, a secret, a betrayal, and passion. Mr. Rourke plays second fiddle to the romantic lead, Anthony Michael Hall. This shows how far Rourke's star fell. Late night cable used to show this movie.

Rourke finally got a role with the best cast sinceDiner—namely, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dennis Rodman. Rourke's face still declined, but his body improved.was cutinDouble Team. Boxing did not fix his face, but it worked for his body. His pugilist skills and his body double match Van Damme in the final fight until Van Damme kicks him about seventy times.

Rourke's comeback started withSin City. Playing Marv, the brawler with a good heart, Rourke showed a complex character for the first time in nearly 20 years. A talented cast joins him inSin City, where Rourke stood out and showed viewers his remaining charisma.

Sin Cityproved to be just a snack before Mickey Rourke's best performance yet. He put his ragged soul intoThe Wrestler. He even got an Oscar nomination with that great mix of character and performance.

Rourke's whole history shows on his face and screen as he plays the down-on-his-luck Randy "The Ram," a man with his glory days long gone. Even if you do not know your Macho Man from your Nature Boy, you cheer for Rourke to win with one last Ram Jam.

The modern Mickey Rourke appears in many movies. An Oscar nomination forThe Wrestlerdefinitely raised Mickey Rourke's street credibility and asking price. His second commercial peak since his comeback is inIron Man 2as the bad ass Whiplash.