'You Cannot Kill David Arquette' Review
R: Language throughout, some bloody images, and nudity
Runtime: 1 Hr and 31 Minutes
Production Companies: XTR, Kidz Gone Bad, One Last Run Productions
Distributor: Super LTD
Directors: David Darg, Price James
Writers: N/A
Cast: David Arquette, Patricia Arquette, Courteney Cox, Ric Flair, Diamond Dallas Page, Jack “Jungle Boy” Perry, RJ City
Release Date: August 28, 2020
Branded as the most hated man in wrestling after winning a highly controversial WCW World Heavyweight Championship in 2000, actor David Arquette attempts a rocky return to the sport that stalled his promising Hollywood career. Dangerously determined to redeem his reputation and reclaim his self-respect, Arquette will stop at nothing to earn his place in professional wrestling.
David Arquette. Actor, film producer, screenwriter, and… professional wrestler?
It was rather fascinating whenever WWE or WCW did cross-movie promotions with an actor doing press for their film. Will Forte did it to promote MacGruber, Chucky did it for Bride of Chucky, and even friggin’ Robocop appeared once. However, I never knew anything about David Arquette’s cross-promotion that became a landmark moment in wrestling history. Nothing could top the bizarreness of David Arquette promoting the forgotten 2000 comedy Ready To Rumble where he won the World Heavyweight Championship belt. I guess I’m showing my age by not knowing of this prior to watching this doc. I knew David Arquette by his appearances in horror movies, such as the Scream franchise, but I didn’t know anything about him having a pro wrestling career, let alone him being considered a disgrace to the sport by die-hard wrestling fans. You Cannot Kill David Arquette explores the pro wrestling career of the actor who won the biggest title of the sport, the Heavyweight Championship Belt, and how that moment shifted his entire career while making him the most hated wrestler in history amongst fans. The film follows Arquette as he navigates through the indie circuit, driving down the road to redemption as he embarks on a quest to earn the respect of wrestlers across the globe.
Watching You Cannot Kill David Arquette made me feel as if I was watching an alternate miniseries version of Bojack Horseman due to a similar setup. I know I’m comparing an animated character to a real man, but this doc centers on an actor who was red hot in the ‘90s until the gears shifted during the 2000s. In Arquette’s case, this happened when he went from acting to wrestling, which stifled his career. It wasn’t until recently that he made his resurgence. Seriously, he’s been in two movies I’ve seen recently, excluding this doc. This is shocking because, aside from Scream 4, he hadn’t appeared in anything memorable for several years. You see footage of wrestling fans across the world talking shit about him and he would also completely unwelcome at wrestling conventions. Nothing is sadder than having a booth at a convention that no one visits.
While you’re on the passenger seat through David Arquette’s journey, you see how dedicated he is to getting back out there while proving that he does have a deep love for wrestling. He isn’t “a Hollywood actor who thought he could just show up.” He is a truly dedicated fan of the sport that goes beyond the WCW. He goes into the variety of sub-wrestling match types, ranging from underground wrestling to freestyle, and nearly faces death because he wants to prove himself to the world.
Filmmakers David Darg and Price James captured the reason why people, including myself, love wrestling. Yes, I used to watch Friday Night Smackdown on UPN religiously growing up. Watching David Arquette risk his life to reclaim his self-worth reminded me that wrestling is an amazing art form. Wrestling requires skill and choreography. There’s a well-edited scene of RJ City and Arquette going through the choreography of their match while it cuts back and forth from the practice to the real event. It was amazing to watch.
I’m such a sucker for inspirational stories like this. As someone who used to love watching WWE Smackdown back in the day, You Cannot Kill David Arquette is an inspiring sports doc about a Hollywood actor embarking on a larger-than-life redemption journey to reclaim the most important title in all of wrestling: Respect.
Rating: 4/5 | 80%
