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Cast: David Arquette, Oliver Platt, Rose McGowan, Scott Caan and Joe Pantoliano
Directed by: Brian Robbins
Distributed by: Warner Brothers
Copyright: 2000
Its been awhile since I've mixed up a review. I know I said a couple months ago I'd put together a couple reviews for a couple different movies. That said, I figured I'd bust out a quick condensed one here on a quirky movie that came out right around the start of the new decade.
Afew months back I started seeing this movie pop up again on HBO and while I've never really given it a full watch. I decided what the hell, its long overdue and being how I used to be a big fan of wrestling. Naturally I thought it might be worth a check.
Plot: The plot is very simple. Two sanitation workers (Arquette/Caan) are big wrestling fans. In particular fans of broken down star wrestler Jimmy King played by Oliver Platt. They end up going on a tour de farce to find Jimmy King and shape him up for a big showdown with the corrupt Titus Sinclair played by Joe Pantoliano and Diamond Dallas Page in order to restore Jimmy Kings status in the wrestling world.
Acting: This is one of those kinds of movies where you just have to take a step back and realize what the movie is and what their trying to establish. In this case, this movie is pretty campy. Its not overly bad/campy but campy enough to show off the consensus that everyone involved is just having fun with their roles. Especially Joe and David whom I thought had fun with their roles.
Not being a big fan of Arquette, I found him enjoyable in this movie. Joe was his usual self, its nothing overwhelming for him but its fun. I thought McGowan was reasonably hot in this movie as well, probably the best she looked in any movie I've seen her in. So that was a bonus for an otherwise cardboard character.
Direction: Make no mistake about it. The source material isnt much to go with and because the movie is campy. There isnt much to attack here. Director Brian Robbins did a decent job but the movie didnt need an epic director afterall to direct what was a zany, off the wall wrestling based movie.
Overall: As I said very condensed. Nevertheless its really a throwaway campfest especially for a wrestling fan who watched this movie for shits and giggles. It has alot of cameos from various wrestlers who were in WCW at the time. Some would argue that this movie was the downfall and led to the eventual demise of WCW as an organization especially when they went and put the WCW title on David Arquette. Some hate it for that, others just because. For me I thought as a movie fan and a fan of what wrestling was at that time.
I thought it was a fun movie but by no means a must see. I wouldnt reccomend it to non wrestling fans unless you enjoy shitty campfests of any kind. As far as wrestling fans go, im sure most have seen it and if they havent, I'd say its worth a check if for no other reason than shits and giggles.
The Good
Alot of campy wrestling
A hot Rose McGowan
Cameos from various WCW guys at the time
The Bad
Sid Vicious and Perry Saturn
The Ugly
Probably shouldnt have been made in retrospect.
Overall Grade
4/10