Do you want to see ‘Beyond the Mat’?

Beyond the Mat (1999)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 66
Fresh: 54 | Rotten: 12

Even if you aren't a fan, Beyond the Mat provides a riveting, perceptive look into the world of professional wrestling by taking a closer look at the people beneath the personas.

Average Rating: 6.2/10
Critic Reviews: 18
Fresh: 13 | Rotten: 5

Even if you aren't a fan, Beyond the Mat provides a riveting, perceptive look into the world of professional wrestling by taking a closer look at the people beneath the personas.

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Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 7,821

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Movie Info

In a rare foray into documentary filmmaking, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment produced this behind-the-scenes look at professional wrestling, shot on digital video by director (Barry W. Blaustein), screenwriter of several hit Eddie Murphy comedies. An unabashed wrestling fan since childhood, Blaustein nevertheless takes an unflinching look at the dark underbelly of the "sport," as he shadows a trio of wrestlers representing three very different aspects of the profession. Mick

R, 1 hr. 42 min.

Documentary, Sports & Fitness, Special Interest

Directed By: Barry Blaustein

In Theaters: Oct 22, 1999 Wide

On DVD: Aug 22, 2000

Universal Pictures

Beyond the Mat Trailer & Photos

More Photos (19)

Cast

Critic Reviews for Beyond the Mat

All Critics (67) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (54) | Rotten (12) | DVD (11)

Documentaries are almost always more interesting if the filmmakers fess up about their relationship to the subject, as unabashed pro-wrestling fan Barry Blaustein does in this naively made, compelling homage to the sport.

March 23, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

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Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

A gently and genuinely observed film whose subject is a garish, artificial display of mayhem.

March 23, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety

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Robert Koehler

Variety

Top Critic

Entertaining and twisted.

March 19, 2002 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail

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Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

It has a hypnotic quality.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

Sometimes, you find material for a good movie in the most unlikely place.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee

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Joe Baltake

Sacramento Bee

Top Critic

Beyond the Mat wants to blend thrills and pathos, getting at the many sides of what is, as Mr. Blau stein describes it, a carny act. The problem is that he doesn't articulate any of his own thoughts beyond a few slight asides.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: New York Times

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Elvis Mitchell

New York Times

Top Critic

WWF documentary is OK for older teens.

October 14, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Am engrossing watch, but it's far from the most fascinating and incisive look at its subject.

January 3, 2010 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com

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Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

Blaustein, Foley and Funk layeth the smack well and truly down.

July 31, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4

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Richard Luck

Film4

We tour the All-Pro Wrestling School in California and Philadelphia's fearsome Extreme Championships, but it's the studies Blaustein makes of several wrestlers that root the film.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

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Time Out

A very good film that both wrestling fans and non-wrestling fans will enjoy.

May 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Barry Blaustein takes a long, hard look at pro wrestling and, while not making me a newborn fan of the sport, he taught me the intensity and sacrifice of those who enter the ring.

April 9, 2005 Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews

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Robin Clifford

Reeling Reviews

A hilarious and heartbreaking documentary.

May 14, 2003 Comment

Jeanne Aufmuth

Palo Alto Weekly

Surprisingly riveting.

December 8, 2002 Full Review Source: Film Threat

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Merle Bertrand

Film Threat

Unfortunately Blaustein isn't an experienced enough film-maker to make much of such material.

December 3, 2002 Full Review Source: Sight and Sound

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Fiona Morrow

Sight and Sound

...an easygoing, straightforward film without too many surprises

August 28, 2002 Full Review | Comment

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

turns out to be less interested in the cartoonish brutality of pro wrestling than it is with the lives of the people who make their living in the ring.

June 21, 2002 Full Review Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

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James Sanford

Kalamazoo Gazette

Blaustein and his film have at least put a human face on those monstrous countenances that snarl out from our television sets on Saturday afternoons.

September 18, 2001 Full Review Source: culturevulture.net

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Tom Block

culturevulture.net

The real meat of the movie comes in the many intimate moments that Blaustein's camera catches.

March 24, 2001 Full Review Source: Matinee Magazine

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Chuck Rudolph

Matinee Magazine

The film is sometimes riveting -- and sometimes hard to watch.

January 1, 2000 Comment

Gemma Tarlach

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Blaustein paints a complex picture of professional wrestling and shrewdly transforms the ridiculous into the sublime.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: IFilm

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Eric Gordon

IFilm

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Audience Reviews for Beyond the Mat

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A gritty and interesting look at life behind the wrestling scenes.

August 4, 2007

Lafe Fredbjornson

Super Reviewer

If you liked The Wrestler, you'll like this documentary because its the same story yet its all true. And if you like wrestling, you'll like this documentary because its got lots of wrestlers and lots of wrestling in it. And if you hate wrestling, you'll like this documentary because it shows you exactly why you hate wrestling so very much.

January 3, 2010