Beyond the Mat | Rotten Tomatoes

Beyond the Mat

R

Released Mar 17, 2000

1 hr. 42 min.

Documentary

List

82%

67 Reviews

Tomatometer

83%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

"Beyond the Mat," Barry Blaustein's honest, intimate, revealing, highly entertaining, and critically acclaimed behind-the-scenes look at wrestling, takes viewers beyond the ring and into the lives of the men and women who inhabit this colorful, competitive, and surprisingly complex world.

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Critics Consensus

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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Stephen C

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Barry Blaustein directs this fascinating documentary focusing on his childhood obsession, the world of pro wrestling. Featuring unprecedented access to Vince McMahon and the WWE, this is just riveting from start to finish. Even non wrestling fans would find this incredibly engaging. Featuring segments on Mick Foley, Terry Funk, Jake Roberts, New Jack and more. Funny, shocking and heartbreaking at times. No other documentary has gotten such great footage of behind the scenes at WWE. A must see.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

isaac m

Beyond The May is an interesting documentary that shows the lives of wrestlers who were fighting in WWE, ECW, and independent promotions. I really love how the director focuses on three wrestlers who have face different obstacles while being a wrestler. Overall, this documentary has everything from emotional scenes to bloody action.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The access and footage Blaustein gained here was extraordinary. There’ll never be another wrestling documentary like it.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/06/20

Full Review

russell h

I loved this documentary. A real story of the professional wrestling business that is very eye-opening.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Great interesting fantastic phenomenal documentary that I learned a lot from. Yes, I already knew about 90 percent of the stuff they talked about but I did learn a couple new things. The Mick Foley parts were the best because they showed his family side and how they're effected by this buisness and it's so sad but that's what you have to do in this type of business.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

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Barry W. Blaustein

Director

Terry Funk

Self

Mick Foley

Himself

Jake "The Snake" Roberts

Self

Vince McMahon

Self

Roland Alexander

Self

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

WWF documentary is OK for older teens.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 14, 2010

Full Review

Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

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.

Mar 23, 2007

Full Review

Robert Koehler

Variety

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

Mar 23, 2007

Full Review

Kaleem Aftab

The List

There's no need to be a fan of American wrestling to enjoy Beyond the Mat. Blaustein concentrates on the idea of people living out dreams rather than the life of a wrestler, and in doing so succeeds in showing the brutal reality behind the pantomime.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 13, 2019

Full Review

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

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

Rated: 3/4

Jan 3, 2010

Full Review

Richard Luck

Film4

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

Jul 31, 2008

Full Review

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Synopsis

"Beyond the Mat," Barry Blaustein's honest, intimate, revealing, highly entertaining, and critically acclaimed behind-the-scenes look at wrestling, takes viewers beyond the ring and into the lives of the men and women who inhabit this colorful, competitive, and surprisingly complex world.

Director: Barry W. Blaustein
Screenwriter: Barry W. Blaustein
Distributor: Image Entertainment Inc., Universal Pictures, Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Imagine Entertainment, Lions Gate Entertainment
Rating: R (Violent Content|Language)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 17, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.0M
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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