Documentary - Wrestle

[Idaho 726]

I didn't see any other threads on this (because we all love 7 threads on the same topic). Watched it last night. The storylines are pretty good. The filming is excellent. The wrestling level itself was not real great but that wasn't the point of the doc. It has won several awards- came out about a year ago. Story of a wrestling team in Alabama from a failing high school. This was the school's last year in existence. Coach is working hard to keep these kids in school, graduate and get somewhere in life. Yes, it's high school and this is a college thread - I get it and don't care. 

 

[pamela 1,334]

Thanks! I just bookmarked the video and will watch it later. I love YouTube.

[Idaho 726]

1 hour ago, pamela said:

Thanks! I just bookmarked the video and will watch it later. I love YouTube.

That's just the trailer on youtube....but the trailer will grab you to want to watch it. It's on Amazon Prime - free if you have prime - not a rental. 

[jmachinder 68]

I saw this when it came out.  Good movie.  I hate to nitpick, but I think the filmmakers have no idea how qualifying for the state tournament works.  

[Schuteandscore 53]

Got curious and just watched it also, interesting story and yes I could t figure out if Alabama just did their tournament differently, or if the crew didn’t know how the tournament worked, but the inspiration and entertainment is with the story itself, so I was able to overlook it.  Good call and thanks for posting!

[gimpeltf 1,402]

2 hours ago, Schuteandscore said:

Got curious and just watched it also, interesting story and yes I could t figure out if Alabama just did their tournament differently, or if the crew didn’t know how the tournament worked, but the inspiration and entertainment is with the story itself, so I was able to overlook it.  Good call and thanks for posting!

How did they represent that it worked? (States) I just IMed with a coach I know from down that way (who was in the film) who says what they do is have a bunch of sectionals that each send 4 to states.

[jmachinder 68]

The filmmakers spent a lot of time making it seem like your record during the regular season impacted if you qualified for the states.  A lot of high school sports are like that, so it would make sense that this might be their default understanding.  But even the smallest amount of research or just talking to the coaches they were interviewing would have explained that the wrestling post-season is different.

[Idaho 726]

31 minutes ago, gimpeltf said:

How did they represent that it worked? (States) I just IMed with a coach I know from down that way (who was in the film) who says what they do is have a bunch of sectionals that each send 4 to states.

It was kind of like an RPI ranking.... the first tournament they say it's a "ranking tournament". Then each tournament they wrestle changes their ranking. It shows the 4 main wrestlers that the documentary focuses on going up and down in the rankings each week based on how they do in the tournaments. At the end of the season they have to be in the top 8 to make it to state...which doesn't make sense since the brackets are 16 or 32? It was a little odd the way it was represented. 

[jmachinder 68]

There are state rankings, but they are just that rankings. The filmmakers wrongly thought they impacted the state qualification process.  

[Idaho 726]

It was based on the 2015-16 season - the state brackets are 16 man - they are on track. There was a super sectional before state as a qualifier. In the doc they say that Teague Berres gets a pin over a better wrestler (coach says he's going to get murdered but then wins by fall) to qualify for state when it bumps him up to #8 in the rankings. But on track he finished 3rd in the super sectional by winning by pin. Not sure if he had to finish 3rd at super sectional to go to state and that's what actually happened?? Seems like if you were doing a doc you would have a pretty good handle on how to qualify for state. Other than that and like I said earlier, some not real high level looking wrestling, the storyline is good. I thought it really shows what coaches do to keep their kids eligible, out of trouble, getting to practice, etc. 

[buckshot1969 445]

I'm watching it right now and while it's good it's pretty obvious that Alabama isn't a good wrestling state.

[buckshot1969 445]

Now I'm at the point where I just feel bad for any kid that lives in Alabama

[Idaho 726]

1 hour ago, buckshot1969 said:

I'm watching it right now and while it's good it's pretty obvious that Alabama isn't a good wrestling state.

Yeah...

[Schuteandscore 53]

2 hours ago, buckshot1969 said:

I'm watching it right now and while it's good it's pretty obvious that Alabama isn't a good wrestling state.

Right it isn’t, but like you said it’s good.  The lives that these wrestlers have an the impact the sport is having on them is where I’m interested anyway, if I want to watch good wrestling I’ll just watch Thurs..... oh wait

[buckshot1969 445]

1 minute ago, Schuteandscore said:

Right it isn’t, but like you said it’s good.  The lives that these wrestlers have an the impact the sport is having on them is where I’m interested anyway, if I want to watch good wrestling I’ll just watch Thurs..... oh wait

Agreed. I thought it was excellent but not so much for the wrestling. 

[Schuteandscore 53]

Agree!

[Schuteandscore 53]

2 minutes ago, buckshot1969 said:

Agreed. I thought it was excellent but not so much for the wrestling. 

And also just the way it would say “won by points”. “Or loss by fall” just added a cheesy element of not knowing wrestling but hey I still liked the story lol.  Be a bit crazier if they followed a St. Paris Graham type school around wrestling wise, but also wouldn’t quite be the same 

[buckshot1969 445]

If that cop who was harassing Jailen didn't get fired it's a travesty. It's hard enough for a kid in that situation, he doesn't need that kind of treatment. That kid put up with it, kept his cool and didn't take the bait. That cop wanted nothing more than to ruin his life.

I also thought the coach was a bit odd (to put it lightly). He should have been fired for his conduct.

[Tofurky 590]

I saw the film back in the fall and I echo most of what is stated here: nice film, the level of wrestling left a lot to be desired, the coach was a throwback to an era that we all thought was gone, and the film maker could have made qualifying a little less confusing to the viewer. All in all, good human interest stories with wrestling as the vehicle.

[Idaho 726]

7 hours ago, Tofurky said:

I saw the film back in the fall and I echo most of what is stated here: nice film, the level of wrestling left a lot to be desired, the coach was a throwback to an era that we all thought was gone, and the film maker could have made qualifying a little less confusing to the viewer. All in all, good human interest stories with wrestling as the vehicle.

Good analysis.