You can’t kill David Arquette

Title: You Can’t Kill David Arquette
Director: David Darg, Price James
Released: 2020

Plot: Documentary charting David Arquette’s attempts to become a professional wrestler and make amends for the disrespect many fans feel he caused to the industry by winning the the WCW Title.

Review: Twenty years ago on the April 26^th edition of WCW Thunder David Arquette while on the promotional tour for Ready to Rumble the wrestling comedy which featured many of WCW’s most memorable faces Arquette won the companies top belt the WCW title. This has been the brainchild of WCW’s head writer Vince Russo (a whole other villian) who saw the belt as a prop and a way to get more mainstream press for the company which had begun it’s death spiral caring little for the legacy of the belt and what it meant to the fan (including Arquette). The end result however would see Arquette being branded as disrespecting the belt aswell as being responsible for one of the worst moments in the history of professional wrestling.

Now picking up Arquette’s story we find the one popular actor has hit on hard times as he is introduced as a functioning alcoholic, heavily overweight and unable to shake off the image of being a goofball which has left his career at an all time low. For whatever reason though it’s this current struggle that inspires him to make up for the disrespect that his fellow wrestling fans feel he gave to the industry by entering the ring once again and setting out to become a professional wrestler.

The first thing I heard about David Arquette returning to wrestling was hearing the aftermath of a deathmatch he had participated in against Nick Gage were he’d during the course the match had his throat slit. Needless to say it was a story I was keen to find out more about so when I heard about this documentary coming out it pretty much jumped to the top of my most anticipated list. What we get here though is a much more complex story than you might expect as this is not so much the story of Arquette attempting a new career path but also about finding his own redemption and salvation from the many problems he’s battled over the years.

Unquestionably a warts and all story, the first half of the film sees Arquette certainly at rock bottom despite having nice house and beautiful wife and kid while his initial misconception that it will be easy to make it up to the fans is soon crushed under the reality that his Hollywood status means nothing in this world. Still setting out full of enthusiasm for his new vocation as we are subjected to a cringe worthy photoshoot for new head shots for a wrestling convention Arquette is attending only to be left sitting at an empty table ignored by all attendees. Elsewhere his first steps into the industry are non the less spectacular as he gets into a scuffle with former wrestler turned promotor Brian Nobbs (one half of the 90’s tag team The Nasty Boys) for even proposing the idea he get involved in a Legends of Wrestling event while his first match in a backyard federation whose ring collapses partway through a match quickly turns into him being on the wrong end of a humiliating beat-down.

Now while many would see this as the moment to give up on this already questionable plan he doesn’t instead realising that he is going to need to actually train and so begin the really inspiring portion of the film as he finds a wrestling school willing to train him while finding additional mentorship from Diamond Dallas Page who himself lets not forget was responsible for saving two of wrestling greatest lost causes in Jake the Snake and Scott Hall as charted in the equally moving The Resurrection of Jake the Snake Roberts.

Even if your not a wrestling fan the film is still an engrossing watch with his journey really tapping into the independent scene of wrestling far away from the glitz and glamour of the likes of the WWE with Arquette’s training taking him to Mexico and even particpating in street wrestling matches that luchador’s carry out like street theatre at traffic lights for the loose change of those parked at the lights. All of which he is happy to throw himself into and with out a hint of privilege and entitlement as knows this is a world built on earning the respect of his fellow performers which we see him doing through the indie scene in what feels like a truly genuine experience rather than one crafted out for the benefit of the film.

While it’s true that Arquette might have a diversifying personality his love for the sport and the industry is clear throughout and to see him battling his addictions and personal demons through wrestling is certainly an inspiring journey as well as one which much like The Wrestler is just as keen to pull back the curtain on the industry for the uninitiated and show its inner workings as highlighted during one his early matches were shots of him competing in the ring are intercut with him working out how the match will play out with his opponent.

Now while this is hardly the film which is going to re-ignite his career it is unquestionably manages to capture his journey into this world he loves and perhaps in many way the kind of acceptance he’s spent so many years trying and failing to find in his acting career. While it’s left unclear whether this is a new career path for him at the end of the documentary you truly feel that you have been on this journey with him.