Grappling With The Truth.....................

Rating: 7/10 (19 May 2014)

THERE'S NO DOUBT in our mind that the Writer, Director, Cast and the rest of the Production Team had the best of intentions in putting this one together. With the Pro Wrestling game being the hybrid sports/entertainment creature that it is and has been, it is a subject that interests people of a great cross section of society. Be they Doctors or Dock Workers, Stock Brokers or Stock Yardmen, or whatever the walk of life; there's interest in in "Rasslin!"
AND THE FILM does make the point that this is a game of big egos, chiseling promoters and a loyal, yet fickle following. All of these attributes may well apply to life in general; ergo, Wrestling's mass appeal.
THE PORTRAYAL OF our protagonist, Randy 'the Ram' Robinson does ring true in several respects. First, as we intimated earlier, the big ego-he has it. Secondly, he has a strong desire to get back in the game-in spite of medical condition and he has a need to perform; he'll do so at even a diminished level for a much smaller purse ($$$).
WHILE THE PRODUCTION team nails these certain elements of the Pro Game, in others they are obviously have not been an insider; such as this writer was. Case in point: while there is a great camaraderie among Pro Gtapplers, you'd never see them "High Fiving" each other the way it is portrayed. But, you'll have to take our word for that one; because we won't tell you!
AND IN SPITE of a Wrestler's outward appearance, which may vary from being fit & fabulous to fat & fastidious. A Wrestler with a full schedule leads a very unhealthy life. If really in demand, he may be working 3-5 times a week and that means constant travel. So,for many that life is not very long.
IN CLOSING THAT we must grade this film out with a C-. As a sort of contrasting dissertation, get a copy of Verne Gagne's THE WRESTLER (1974) with Ed Asner and Elaine Giftos. One can get it at Amazon.com or on Ebay.