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Beyond the Mat
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 23 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 3 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Documentary
Written by: Barry W. Blaustein
Directed by: Barry W. Blaustein
Release Date:
Theatrical: March 17, 2000
DVD: August 22, 2000
Running Time: 102 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: R for language and violent content
Starring Terry Funk, Mick Foley, Jake Roberts, Vince McMahon, Tony Jones, Michael Modest, and Roland Alexander
Documentry focusing on the lives of professional wrestlers. Gives the viewer a behind-the-scenes look at how their sport is not fake.
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
Stay far, far away unless you can handle the copious amounts of blood--and agonizing psychological problems-- that its participants face on what seems like a daily basis.
Read Full Review >Variety Robert Koehler
A gently and genuinely observed film whose subject is a garish, artificial display of mayhem.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Milton Kent
What the film does, brilliantly, is provoke the intelligent fan to wonder if there's a limit to how far the proceedings can go.
TNT RoughCut Chad Damiani
Professional wrestling might not be real, folks -- but, after watching this poignant and simple documentary, you might start questioning where the make-believe begins.
Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy
Frighteningly, grippingly real.
Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector
All the macho men who let down their guard for Blaustein can be proud of the loving deconstruction of violence-as-entertainment that resulted.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Desson Thomson
You don't have to love WWF scrapping to appreciate this movie.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Russell Smith
A center ring extravaganza of smackdown movie entertainment
Read Full Review >Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez
Suggests that professional wrestling is more than a multibillion-dollar industry: It's also a way of life.
New York Post Lou Lumenick
Doesn't shy from the ugly side, though it's far from the no-holds-barred exposé being touted in the ads.
Boston Globe Jay Carr
Wrestling gets in America's face and Blaustein gets in wrestling's face. It's a fascinating tango.
Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
Isn't a slick documentary; some of it feels like Blaustein's home movie about being a wrestling fan. But it has a hypnotic quality.
Read Full Review >USA Today Staff [Not Credited]
The match winners and losers may be preordained, but these modern-day gladiators bleed plenty of real blood.
San Francisco Chronicle Peter Stack
A skillful exposition of the pain of pro wrestling, and the high price participants pay in terms of physical and ego injuries.
Read Full Review >Film.com Robert Horton
Takes an easy target and turns it into something naggingly weird.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Maitland McDonagh
A behind-the-scenes documentary that manages to be unabashedly sympathetic without being a puff piece.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas
Connects the antics of professional wrestlers with their lives out of the ring with such compassion, humor and perception that the result is utterly captivating.
Read Full Review >The New York Times A.O. Scott
Wants to blend thrills and pathos, getting at the many sides of what is, as Mr. Blaustein describes it, a carny act.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly David Davis
Blaustein's journey seems not to have shaken his convictions; he still embraces pro wrestling, warts and all.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
Often has the rambling feeling of a home movie Blaustein made for his buddies.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune John Petrakis
Surprisingly lacking in revelatory moments.
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 9.3 (out of 10) based on 3 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Az F. gave it a10:
A real inside look at pro-wrestling.
Jenn gave it a10:
Best Movie Ever!
Ian P. gave it an 8:
Delves deep into the business and uncovers some shocking truths!!!
