Beyond the Mat

This great documentary goes behind the scenes and shows us a side of wrestling that we rarely get to see. In particular, it focuses on three legendary wrestlers, and their stories should provoke a wide range of emotions from every viewer. There are other stories as well, but these were generally much less interesting, and the film works best when the focus is on Mick Foley, Terry Funk, or Jake Roberts. Their stories were all compelling, and wrestling-haters who are usually so quick to dismiss this business as "fake" should take a look at this movie and see just how real it can be.

As a wrestling fan, when I saw this movie in the video store, I had to get it. Thinking I'd be seeing nothing more than an overview of pro wrestling, I was pleasantly surprised to see this documentary by filmmaker Blaustein that incorporates all the major wrestling organizations in the U.S. and also some of the greatest wrestlers ever to step in the ring...including a few personal favorites like Mick Foley and Terry Funk. In showing these wrestlers as humans, Blaustein has created a view of wrestling unique in a world of trickery and promotional stunts. This is one helluva documentary going behind the scenes of all the wrestling promotions, showing the real people involved, and in the end shows the viewer that, indeed, in wrestling nothing as it seems. A few of the highlights include a touching, and tragic, portrayal of mat legend Jake "The Snake" Roberts, behind the scenes of a WWF pay-per-view, and the story of hardcore legend Mick Foley. I would highly recommend this to anyone...it is an entertaining and revealing film that I think even non-wrestling fans would enjoy.

I enjoyed Beyond the Mat because it gave us an insiders view of wrestling. But to be honest it was quite disturbing at times.

In a way it can shatter a fans illusions. We fans seem to think of wrestlers as superhuman beings-we forget that they have personal needs, families, wives, girlfriends, children etc. This movie shows us how wrestlers lives can be changed due to their devotion to keeping the fans entertained.

I won't spoil any of the film but one example is Jake "The Snake" Roberts. I watched Jake wrestle in the WWF from 1986-1992 and to me he was a brilliant wrestler who had it all-how wrong I was. It showed us another side to Jake Roberts-the human side who has sacrificed a lot to become a wrestler, including family.

This is a thought provoking movie which helps remind us that wrestlers are human after all and that they spend a lot of time away from their loved ones putting their bodies on the line purely to keep us entertained. If anything, this movie helps us appreciate the wrestlers even more.

I've seen this movie a few times and as a wrestling fan for over 20 years I was glad to see a movie that showed a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes. Blaustien does an amazing job and it was no surprise that it was seriously being considered for an Academy Award nomination (sadly it never ended up being actually nominated).

Wrestling fans have had to defend their love of the art of pro wrestling for many years. When the topic would come up that I am a wrestling fan I would be faced with the same idiotic question, with a tone of disbelief in their voice, "You know it's fake, right?". My response has always been to follow that question with "And what is your favourite TV show?" I usually get an answer like "Friends" or something similar and I then mockingly explain to them that Rachel and Ross never dated and Monica and Chandler are not really married and that that isn't even their real names. Soon they began to see the stupidity of their proclaiming that wrestling is fake. Whew, sorry, kind of went on a rant there.

Blaustien's film allows non wrestling fans to see exactly how "fake" wrestling can be. The blood, sweat and hard work that these athletes and their families endure is vividly shown. We finally see a human side of the often larger than life characters that these men and women of the squared circle portray.

One thing that I found very profound was the drab, dark and gloomy colours Blaustein used in segments showing that human side as opposed to the colourfulness of the slick production of the athletes performing. We go from the glamorous pyro and bright lights of a live Pay per View event to shots of the wrestlers in their concrete, black and white, dirty and sweaty dressing rooms. I don't know if the director did this on purpose but I thought it was quite effective.

Bottom line this movie is a must for any fan of wrestling but I feel it is even more important to the non-wrestling fan interested to see why all these people watch this "fake" form of entertainment.

Yes, that's the title to the second Mick Foley book, but it also does a good job of summarizing this wonderful documentary. This movie shows wrestling for the dangerous and addictive sport it is and that people seem to forget because the endings are predetermined. If you can watch the scenes where Foley is repeatedly hit in the head in front of his wife with a chair and then try and talk about how fake the sport is. Look at the life of Jake Roberts and say that there isn't something inherently messed up. Though it depicts horrible acts of violence and drug use, but this movie is more shocking in the damage people in this sport do to themselves in pursuit of this "fake" sport with so little respect for themselves. A chilling and wonderful documentary.