Wrestling is one of the most varied human activities of the modern age. From the prestige of the Olympic circuit to the majesty of the televised events, it was only a matter of time before the most exciting thing in sports entertainment found its way to the cinema.
Pro wrestling is a massively popular and hugely influential landmark of entertainment worldwide. In the modern-day, a ton of movie stars got their start in wrestling. While the big contests are mostly dominated by the WWE, almost every nation has its answer to this particular brand of theater. Like most sports, films about wrestling cover just about everything from comic parodies to heart-wrenching drama, to gripping real-life documentaries. There's something for every wrestling fan when it comes to a cinematic adaptation of their favorite sport.
Fighting with My Family
This 2019 biopic of two-time WWE Divas Champion Paige is a heartwarming dramedy that explores the fun and the stress of the medium. Paige, born Saraya, is the daughter of a pair of professional wrestlers whose heyday was in the 90s. She and her brother Zac decide to follow in their parents' footsteps and try out for the WWE. Paige is mentored by Hutch Morgan who hits the young wrestler with some hard news. While she's on her way, her brother will never make it in the industry. Paige must struggle against the difficulties of the industry and the complexities of her family as she tries to live her dream.
Florence Pugh does an outstanding job in the lead role, bringing real pathos to the performance. Lena Heady and Nick Frost are very fun to watch as Rick and Julia Knight, Paige's dynamic parents. Tons of current and classic professional wrestlers make cameos, including a big showcase for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. This film is a ton of fun and a great look into the industry from the perspective of an icon. The documentary the film was based on, The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family is also well worth watching.
The Wrestler
There's a dark side to every human endeavor and Darren Aronofsky's 2008 masterpiece puts that darkness on-screen in unflinching detail. Mickey Rourke delivers a career-best performance as washed-up 80s superstar Randy "The Ram" Robinson, as he struggles with his waning fame and the lasting medical trauma of the career. Robinson still desperately desires the fame he once had, even as his relationship with his family and his love interest fall apart. When his doctor informs him he can no longer wrestle, his life falls apart, and he must decide whether to give up his dream or throw everything else away for fame.
Countless real professional wrestlers have praised the film's realism and heart. Marisa Tomei is incredible in her role, Evan Rachel Wood stands out as Robinson's estranged daughter, and this is the role that saved Rourke's career for good reason. Outstanding performances from all involved and moving directorial work from Aronofsky made this one of the best films, not just about wrestling, but about life as a performer ever made.
Nacho Libre
Professional wrestling is beloved all around the world and a little different everywhere it pops up. Jared Hess of Napoleon Dynamite fame directed this comedic look at the lucha libre culture of Mexico. The incomparable Jack Black stars as Ignacio, an orphan raised in a monastery with strict Catholic values. Ignacio dreams in secret of becoming a luchador in violation of his teachings, both to earn money for his home and to seek fame and glory.
After an armed robbery, Ignacio convinces the bandit to join him in his quest and begins a double life as a luchador. This is not a perfect film, but it is a fun comedy with some fascinatingly off-kilter performances. It's developed a cult following alongside Napoleon Dynamite, and it's fair to say it deserves it.
The Hammer
Rather than the flash and iconography of the WWE, this film centers around collegiate wrestling from the perspective of one inspirational participant. Oren Kaplan's film centers around the true story of Matt Hamill, a walk-on on a college wrestling team who goes on to success and eventually to a mixed-martial-arts career.
Hamill was born deaf, and this touching tale of a man chasing his dream despite his disability is beautifully handled. The crew specifically hired a deaf star to ensure an honest and fair telling of Hamill's story, and it shows. This is a touching film based on a man's true experience that deserves more attention than it got.
The Resurrection of Jake the Snake
Aurelian Smith Jr., better known as Jake "The Snake" Roberts, was an iconic and beloved WWF performer of the 80s and 90s. His career in the industry brought him across the world and gained him fame beyond his wildest dreams. But it wasn't all upside, Roberts was consumed by drug and alcohol addiction, routinely injured, and separated from his family.
This documentary covers Roberts' time with fellow superstar Diamond Dallas Page, overcoming his addiction and reconnecting with his loved ones. Every wrestling fan owes it to themselves to look into this film. This inspirational documentary is the greatest living monument to what people will do for this art form, and the power the fans have to change lives.