Everybody loves a comeback, and because Britney screwed hers up, its all you baby."

-- Ari Gold (Entourage 2008).

This has been the tone set for the artistic genius of Mickey Rourke on hand to receive the Santa Barbara Film Festival's 2009 American Riviera Award.  Slowly making his way up the red carpet, this true movie star spoke and smiled with everyone in his path.  Dressed in a stylish silk gray suit, a

n oversized hankerchief was dangling from his coat pocket.  This will come in handy to polish his newly received Golden Globe Award and as the front runner to win best actor, the Academy Award that mostly likely awaits him.

Playing Randy "The Ram" Robinson in Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler displays Mickey's true greatness as an actor and shows its never to late to make a comeback. The moderator for the evening was Pete Hammond, a seasoned interviewer of over 25 years.  The near capacity crowd was shown clips from many of Mickey's movies, including Angel Heart, Body Heat, Diner, Domino, Sin City, Nine 1/2 weeks, Rumble Fish, Pope of Greenwich Village, and of course, The Wrestler.

Mickey took us on his acting journey during his early years when he studied under Lee Strassberg with the likes of Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel, and Christoper Walken.  Working under the direction of Michael Cimino (The Year of The Dragon) and Francis Ford Coppola (Rumble Fish) set a high bar for Mickey. . .a bar he always strived not to compromise.  His first breakout role came as an arsonist in Body Heat with William Hurt and Kathleen Turner.  After that came Diner with Kevin Bacon and then Rumble Fish and Pope of Greenwich Village.

Just when you thought he might have peaked, along came Nine 1/2 Weeks, the controversial and steamy film with co-star Kim Bassinger. Rourke said he was sort of looking for a Last Tango in Paris role, so he and Bassinger pushed some limits in that film.

When the likes of Hollywood showed its lesser side of integrity, Mickey turned to boxing, a sport in which he has participated since the age of 12.  He won several bouts but suffered numerous injuries and left boxing for good when doctors convinced him to returned to acting. 

Mickey's appeal goes beyond his tremendous acting ability.  He's a regular guy who we can all relate with.  He has worked as a bouncer at Hollywood night clubs, taken blows in a boxing ring, and was raised by a single mother.  Throughout all his successes, he is humble. . .expressing that lots of people don't ever get one chance, he is very greatful to get a second chance.

Presenting the American Rivera Award to Mickey was Francis Ford Coppola, the director of one of the greatest films of all time, The Godfather.  He, of course, recognized Mickey's acting but also stressed what a nice and caring person Mickey is, referring to him as a dear friend and a  wonderful person.