MILK   historical drama  important, uplifting, entertaining, sharp. Dialog, Penn, Acting, Cinematgrpy., locations.

MILK
historical drama
9
sharp, topical

BEST FOR: progressives
GOOD FOR: movie fans
NOT FOR: conservatives

60+ excellent
45-60 great
30-45 great
20-30 excellent
15-20 okay 16+
-15 sex

WHO
for gay-friendly audiences, and still-closeted gays.
Makes no compromises for "wider audiences". Will entertain most moviegoers, all but staunch homophobes.

WHAT
Watching Milk was a fun experience for me.
The editing is tight and the pacing is even as the film covers the story of Harvey Milk in San Francisco. This is an entertaining, witty film. Penn is really Milk-like. 
Film deftly covers many facets of one man's life, and the struggle for equal rights in his time and our time.

WHERE
see this movie on the big screen, especially at the Castro theater in San Francisco. That way, on the screen you're watching, while you're sitting in the theater, you'll see the shots of the outside of the theater.

WHEN
friends, groups, dates, couples, singles.
good on saturday night as well as on wednesday afternoon.

HOW
Great cinematography, editing and pacing. Great feel of the film. Directing, assistant directing, second assistant directing, Sets, set decoration, sound, lighting, gaffing, locations, production assistants, catering, construction, security, promotions, drivers, accounting, hair, makeup, wardrobe and producers: all great.
Acting is great including the thousands of extras.
Special mention goes to the two stand-ins, who's antics, positive attitude,  professionalism, and ability to get out of the way, were essential to the film's success.

fun
good message
sex
some violence
offensive
funny
cute
beautiful
visual
dramatic
heavy
married couples
group movie
important film
intelligent
witty
politics
romance
inspiring
college educated
working class

 Now, how can I objectively review this movie? I was right in the middle of nearly every scene as it was set up. I got to be amid the directors, producers, cinematographers, lighters, gaffers, props, sound dept., and actors 12 hours a day for 8 wonderful weeks.

Sets, camera location, camera angles, movements, lenses, Lighting(!), electricity, gaffing, props, sound, costumes, hair, make-up, background actors, 1st and 2nd team rehearsals, filming, retakes.   Then the same scene is filmed from the other side, and the entire process starts over again.

Getting the job was a big deal to me because it's a San Francisco movie, about how here you can do what you want to do and change the world. When it happened I was a teenager and I remember those days. I support the cause. I admire Sean Penn as a person, and I knew I looked like him and I'd dreamed of standing-in for him, and I did it.  As a bonus he was in almost every scene of this movie, so I worked on almost every scene.

Unforgettable 11-12 hour days and nights all over San Francisco, with super-nice producers, brilliant directors, great actors, wonderful crew members, and thousands of extras.  In 8 weeks of shooting there was never any real tension or negativity. Unusually harmonious for a film.

On the first day, while they were filming in the living room, I was sitting in a bedroom with a couple of guys. They were Harvey Milk's real-life boyfriend Cleve Jones, and brilliant young writer Dustin Lance Black. They were so excited, driven. They were seeing their dream finally being filmed. They were absolutely determined to make the right film. I knew how lucky I was.  I made sure to do whatever I could to help.

I got to meet the real people portrayed by characters in the movie, and some of the special guests who visited the set. I got to meet all the actors, all of them so nice, and fun to work with.

The producers, Dan and Bruce, Lance, Barbara, and director Gus Van Sant and his team, are so nice and so sweet that I was really rooting for them to get a lot of critical and financial success for Milk.

While watching the film being made, I knew the script was fantastic, the acting performances were great and the sets and the cinematography were great. But none of the above, or ANYTHING, during the making of a movie assures that the finished product is going to be great. They've got to make the film, and once everything's on film it's all up to the editing.

My initial experience seeing the film was relief. I really enjoyed the film. The editing was great! I enjoyed it even though I was on every set, knew every scene, how it was filmed, what the actors are really like, the out-takes, and what went on between takes, and where the sound man was hiding just out of frame. I was glad for the film-makers, glad for the cause, glad for my own story, and absolutely relieved as a movie reviewer because I did not have to pan a film I cared about, and believe me I would've just to keep the integrity of FLICZ.COM.  (I did bump it from 8.5 to 9 so it would stand out on the ratings page.)

Then, as I saw how much everybody else also enjoyed "Milk", and as it started to receive critical and commercial success, I began to feel a sense of pride for what I contributed, and for the filmmakers who'll get the academy awards and financial rewards they deserve for making a film that comes out this good. And it's good-hearted, too.

Adding 1/22/09: 8 academy award nominations. Best Picture, Sean, Josh, Gus, Lance, Elliot Graham: I'll be watching the Oscars rooting for these nice people and if they win I'll go crazy.

added 10/21/09: Sean Penn won the Academy Award. Didn't thank me. He thanked Sato, who I still fantasize will call me and ask if I want to work on his next movie. Dustin Lance Black won for his brilliant script, and he made a great speech.  I saw him a few months later and I got to hold the Oscar.  

Quantum of Solace  action 14+ fast, angry, Stunts, Locations, Special fx. James Bond. plot  

QUANTUM OF SOLACE
action
8
quality mental-floss

BEST FOR: 007 fans
GOOD FOR: 35+
NOT FOR: too fast for some

60+ very fast
45-60 great
30-45 excellent
20-30 very good
15-20 very good
-15 a bit violent

WHO
Longtime Bond fans will love this film, esp. 35 to 65. Everybody who wants fast-action thrills.
-14 discretion

WHAT
Great action!!
This movie is pure James Bond, with threads running all the way back to "Dr. No".  The moviemaking team is now of the highest quality.  Totally fun, fast thrill ride. Sometimes it's hard to follow, but who cares?

WHERE
See it on the big screen.

WHEN
groups, couples, saturday night

HOW
Top-notch cinematography beautifully capturing great sets and locations. Excellent editing on both super fast action, and overall movie pacing.  Very good acting, esp. main characters.

WHY
I was a huge bond fan, in my teens. That was when there were half as many films, and then the franchise wobbled. I remember waiting for the end of the credits to see if it would say "james bond will be back".
Goldfinger was the my favorite. Now Bond is here to stay. Luckily this latest movie is better than all but a few.

fun
bit of sex
violence
visual
dramatic
escapism
wide audience
group movie
witty
dark
college educated
working class

The READER drama intellectual, sexual. writing. acting. Winslet, Fiennes. sad. 16-40 yo sex, holocaust.

 THE READER
drama
8
holocaust message drama

BEST FOR: intellectuals
GOOD FOR: smart movie fans
NOT FOR: dumb n dumber

60+ great
45-60 excellent
30-45 excellent
20-30 good
15-20 sex
-15 no

WHO
aimed at thinkers who like to be entertained sexually and intellectually.
Covers big issues of the holocaust in important ways.
Another painful movie led perfectly by Kate Winslet.

WHAT
The writing here is very clever. There's a complex message about morality, complicity, culpability and a lot of other messages which went into my brain seeming positive and constructive.
Winslet is just great conveying this multiplicity of emotions. She's so wistful. And as in Revolution Road she really conveys the uncertainty, instability and sadness in the souls of these complex "commonfolks" characters.

WHERE
see at full power in theater, but avoid a noisy crowd.

WHEN
time to see and ruminate. in the mood for heavy entertainment.
groups, classes, discussions afterwards. couples.

HOW
World-class film-making.
Writing, acting, directing, pacing are top-notch.
Besides Winslet, Ralph Feinnes is stunning. Best supporting actor nominee.

WHY
I always appreciate seeing a movie when I know nothing (I'm like Sgt.Schultz) about it before I see it. I didn't even know the title of this movie before I saw it, and I missed the opening credits. I didn't know the movie was about the holocaust until about half-way through.
I wasn't completely sure it was Winslet until the closing credits.
The experience had couldn't ruminate long, because a half an hour later I saw Slumdog Millionaire.


okay 17+
slow
good message
sex
violence
offensive
visual
dramatic
heavy
married couples
group movie
intellectual
intelligent
politics
dark
college educated

Revolutionary Rd drama sad, realistic. Winslet, Dicaprio. 50s sets. Dour. sad. lingering effect.

REVOLUTION ROAD
tragedy
8
sad

BEST FOR: suburbanites
GOOD FOR: fans of the stars
NOT FOR: the impatient, or inpatients

60+ nostalgic
45-60 good
30-45 excellent
20-30 excellent
15-20 why not?
-15 zzz, sex

WHO
Young couples should see this movie. Or maybe they shouldn't. It's very sad and could make your outlook better. Or worse.
Fans of the onscreen couple will love their performances.
No real target age. Could be good for anyone suburban.
not for kids or emotionally unstable.

WHAT
I really enjoyed the experience of watching this movie.
Although I saw a lot of clues, I wasn't able to ascertain if there was a unifying theme. It was more of a string o' scenes movie which leaves you with an overall feeling.
The feeling is sad. Despair over just everyday life, the things you can't control when you want things to be better.

They live on "Revolution road". And their lives are supposed to be revolutionary. For the midwest I guess. Being from San Francisco, trying to be unique is a given. This movie shows well-meaning people trying to break free of their constraints and it shows well-meaning constraints breaking free people.
It's really tragic.

WHERE
good for the big screen or DVD

WHEN
anytime you want to push the "sad" button.
couples? dates?
lazy afternoon

HOW
The story's okay. The dialog has some great moments. The sets, clothes cars, all fantastic.
But the depth in Winslet's portrayal of mental illness is as good as can be shown on the screen.
 
Great performances by her husband- great chemistry between these two. Great performances by the neighbors in some great scenes.
So even though it doesn't really seem to be "about" anything, it's a movie that leaves you with a lingering, sad feeling that's hard to shake.

WHY
You're not going to believe this, but I missed a few (almost all) movies in the '90s, including Titanic.
I don't think I'd ever seen Kate Winslet until this movie (unless she was the kate behind the white makeup as queen elizabeth- Cate Blanchett?).
All I know is I was floored by this Kate's performance, and then in "The Reader"... She is a force to be reckoned with.

slow
sex
profanity
visual
dramatic
heavy
realistic
married couples
romance
dark
working class

Righteous Kill murder mystery 40+ Deniro, Pacino. polished, unpredictable. randy 65 y.o men.

RIGHTEOUS KILL
crime drama
7.5
polished who-done-it

BEST FOR: men 45+
GOOD FOR: fans of the actors
NOT FOR: youth, romantic dates
Great acting,Quality filmmaking

AGES
60+ M excellent
45-60 M excellent
30-45 M good
20-30 decent
teens boring?
-14  no
children NO - guns, violence

KEYWORDS:
sex
violence
dramatic
heavy
guy flick
dark

If you think you'd like this movie, it's worth it.
It's technically perfect!  Directing, editing, writing, sets, pacing, etc.
Perfect acting from two great stars. It's a male-centric movie though.
The ideal audience would be those who A): get the myriad of baseball references, including obscure players from the 70s,  and B): want to believe 65 year old guys are sexy and drive 30-something women crazy.

"Righteous Kill" can be thought-provoking. Unpredictable.
Some guns, brain-splattering, sex.
Great who-done-it. Perfect pacing and climax.
Not a monumental film, but quality entertainment.

DEMOGRAPHICS:
Class: mid-lower high
Intelligence: mid-lower high
Race: b & w

Slumdog Millionaire (Bollywood) drama quick, colorful, captivating. different. disturbing.

 SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
drama
8
Bollywood thrill ride

BEST FOR: cultural explorers
GOOD FOR: adventurous
NOT FOR: xenophobes

45-60 some
30-45  for some!
20-30 for some!
15-20 possibly
-15 too harsh

WHO
This movie is not for wonder-bread® moviegoers.
It's for adventurous, non-squeemish moviegoers who want a powerful contemporary experience far away from america.
Okay for teens. Kind of like firey-hot, flavor-explosion doritos®. Okay for 50+. Kind of like what the ultimate Bruce Springsteen album would be in the form of an Indian film.

WHAT
Slumdog Millionaire is a smaller-budget Bollywood film.
The experience is like a big budget action film, without the computer-generated explosions.
Very entertaining, yet very harsh.
Big colors, fun cinematography, extremely interesting Indian culture.
Potentially extremely disturbing Indian culture.

WHERE
if you're going to see it, see it in the theater.

WHEN
friends, groups, dates (non-squeemish). saturday night.
maybe if you've already seen a few movies this season and you want something very different.

HOW
Acting is good to very good, especially suprisingly textured performances by little children. Star and "host" are excellent. Cinematography, directing and editing are all good. Story is very creative, great except for overplaying gunplay.
Not hollywood polished.

WHY
I got the last answer wrong!

fun
slow
nauseating
sex
violence
gore
offensive
stereotypes
profanity
funny
visual
dramatic
heavy
reality
escapism
romance
dark

TheOther End of the Line (Bollywood) romance international date movie. Shriya. me. dull 35+.

THE OTHER END OF THE LINE
bollywood romance
6.5
date movie
BEST FOR  20s
GOOD FOR blywd fans
NOT FOR xenophobes
Interesting but a bit too long
 
60+ ?
45-60 okay
30-45 okay
20-30 good
teens  good
-14 nothing bad
children: no interest

date movie
visual
romance

WHAT
This film takes place in India and America- San Francisco. It's well filmed and fun to watch. Starts out hot, but doesn't work as well in the second half. It's too long.
It makes this a great date movie because you can miss the second half snogging.

WHO
Good date movie for any age, best for 20s. Interesting film for those interested in scenes of mumbai, nyc and s.f.

HOW
Good acting, especially Priya, her father, and the hotel boss.
Colorful, international, and edited in a fresh style.

WHY
The reason I went to see this movie was because I worked on it in San Francisco.
I appear in the background in a few scenes, especially in the gift shop. 
On the set i heard the star was nicknamed "the most beautiful woman in the world".  She was pretty in person, but on the big screen she's huge, amazing!  She just might be the most beautiful actress in the world on-screen.  And she didn't have her own hair and make-up people hovering over her before every take.  Sometimes she had to check her own make-up, comb her own hair. I've never seen an actress put in that position- the star is supposed to have to concentrate on acting only!!

The Spirit superhero sml.l.jackson, stylish images.MEAN SPIRITED. total brain fk. for sick people, not you. 

THE SPIRIT
superhero
4
shyte

BEST FOR: fans of the comic book
GOOD FOR: twisted, sick people
NOT GOOD FOR: anyone

60+ eh.
45-60 few
30-45 few
20-30 NO!
15-20 NO NO NO!
-15 NO NO NO NO!

WHO
aimed at adolescents. NO!! NO!!!!!
adults: sadists, bullies, bullied, violence addicts, porn addicts, racists, etc.

This movie is aimed directly at adolescents, before the age of critical thinking. Unfortunately the message can damage their social development, because this is a movie made by bad people.

WHAT
This movie has a feel like Batman.  Strange, noplace city feel.
Chiseled, square-jawed, ultra-caucasian superhero in a silly mask.
The Spirit is even emptier than the Batman. And this movie has a lot more eye candy. animation, computer dreamish images, cleavage.
Terrible image for girls as sexual facilitators.

WHERE
youtube clips only

WHEN
Good date movie for bad people.
It's sexy and will get you going. But please use a condom.
The people into this negative-human philosophy shouldn't procreate.

DO NOT let the kids see this movie. Teenagers, DO NOT see this movie. It's principals are exploitative in the worst ways, wrapped in a slick, pretty, dreamlike image.
It's okay for adolescents to see some of the clips. There are some cool images in the tapestry that sets up the negative underlying message that are safe in small amounts.

HOW
The people behind this movie would be putting on Christian vs. Lions exhibitions in ancient Rome.

The special effects are very pretty.

Samuel L. Jackson completely understands camp acting. He is wildly entertaining. Unfortunately he, or his agent, don't understand the damage to his career image that appearing in images wearing a nazi-uniform can cause. These people aren't worthy of the imagery.
The men are okay as actors, Eva and Scarlet are horrible. Scarlet does the worst supporting female performance of the year. She looks like she's lost in another world, and she twitches.  Is she sober?

Tremendous cleavage and rump shots. Butt, the women are nothing but pieces of meat.

WHY
Some people, including some of the top actors, do not judge the underlying message of movies they make.
Some people do not care about the message in movies they see.
Some people are not conscious of the message in the movies they see.
Some people ARE bad and proud of it, and support their philosophy. 


bad message
sex
violence
gore
offensive
stereotypes
visual
m oriented
non-thinking
waste of time
dark
bad

 

Vicky Cristina Barcelona comedy hilarity, wit, free-flowing. Acting, sets, dialog.  highbrow

VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
narrated comedy
8
fantastic filmwatching
BEST FOR college educ
GOOD FOR all 16-60
NOT FOR unsophisticates

60+ good
45-60 very good
30-45 excellent
20-30 excellent
teens very good
-13 ?

WHO
Anyone who's ever gone abroad for the summer, or wants to, should see this movie. Good for most ages, pref. college educated. slightly f oriented?

WHAT
"Vicky Cristina Barcelona" is a very smooth, enjoyable, sometimes thrilling, sometimes hilarious moviegoing experience.

WHEN
Great for dinner and a movie groups, singles, friends, couples, dates,

WHERE
Nice scenery, sets. Good in the theater. Will be good on DVD.

HOW
The script is captivating, and executed perfectly.
Extremely well acted. Characters are sexy, smart, enlightening.

WHY
Best script/dialog, screenplay, directing, sets, locations
Best supporting actress nominee: Hall
Best actor nominee: Bardem


okay 16+
sex
sexy
stereotypes
funny
beautiful
visual
dramatic
escapism
date movie
married couples
group movie
intelligent
witty
romance
dark
college educated
upscale

W    historical drama 20-70  Funny, angering, healing. Acting, Directing, Script.  not a hit piece.   not a hit piece.

WHO should see it:

I definitely recommend "W".
If you have any interest in recent politics, this movie can be a little therapeutic. The more you know the characters, the more you'll like this film.  It's a great thrill to see them all larger than life. "W" is as fun as reality is painful.
Best for 40+. Great for 30s. Okay for everyone else over 13. Almost no violence, sex, swearing, or drugs, but lots of drinking.
Don't see it if you want a  political hit-piece.
Class: low-uprmid/Intelligence:avg-high
 
WHAT it is:

"W"s film-maker's interpretation corresponds with the stories I've heard and read about. Yet, George Bush, who may have made the biggest mistake in U.S. history, comes out smelling like a rose, very human and likeable. On the other hand I couldn't contain myself from cursing out loud at the biggest villains ever to appear on screen: Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rove.

WHEN to see it:

Groups, discussions afterwards, sophisticated families. Light intellectual stimulation and entertainment.

WHERE did you hear that?

"W" is less political and far less judgemental than you would expect. Funny, sad, fascinating. I wouldn't mind a sequel.

HOW it was made:

Best performance by Josh Brolin. Great performances by Richard Dreyfuss, Stacey Keach, Elizabeth Banks. Great Cinematography and Great Editing. How could this film be edited so well so fast? Great Directing. Writing, Vision, Lighting, Make-up, Sound and Sets all great. The only weakness was some of the acting.

WHY:

Disclaimers: I love Josh Brolin. When he told me he was going to play George Bush in his next movie I could feel the excitement. He was so nice to me. We talked a lot on the set of "Milk", including the day after "No Country" won "Best Picture" at the academy awards.  This year he could be nominated twice!!
Director: After I saw "Natural Born Killers" years ago, I swore I'd never see another Oliver Stone movie. I thought he must be an evil man. But earlier this year, when I saw Oliver Stone on the set of "Milk", he projected an aura more of "brilliant" than "evil".

Wall-E   animated sci-fi  ALL AGES   entertaining, profound, bizarre, beautiful. Best Picture, Music, Story. 

animated science fiction
10
Movie masterpiece
BEST FOR: deep people
GOOD FOR: everyone 6+
NOT FOR:

60+  must see
45-60 must see
30-45 must see
20-30 must see
teens must see
-14 must see

WHO
Everyone from 6 to 700

WHEN
entire family, groups, singles, dates, couples.
Now on DVD. Watch it start to finish, without pausing
or taking your eyes off the screen, and see what effect it has on you.

WHAT
I've never seen anything like Wall-e. Such bold, uncompromising
images and concepts. Simple enough to be a kids movie. Complex enough
to be existentialism. Two machines in love: romantic enough to be a great
date movie. Can be tear jerker.
Watching this movie i was astonished, amazed, amused, inspired.

WHERE
I can't wait to see it in the theater again.
Now on blu-ray DVD with extras.

HOW
The animation is great, the music and sounds are great. (Music sounds like
my favorites: North by Northwest and Psycho).
Just an amazing, groundbreaking work of art.

keywords:
okay 6+
good message
funny
cute
beautiful
visual
dramatic
heavy
light
reality
escapism
wide audience
family
date movie
married couples
group movie
now on DVD
important film
intelligent
witty
music
politics
romance
inspiring
dark
college educated
working class

Waltz w/Bashir anim.documentary (Israel) subject, dream seq. hebrew dialog/subtitles, slow.


WALTZ WITH BASHIR
animated documentary
english subtitles (hebrew)
7
heavy cartoon, interesting.

BEST FOR: Soldiers, Israelis
GOOD FOR: haunting mood
NOT FOR: children

60+ okay
45-60 good
30-45 good
20-30 good
15-20 18+ okay
-15 NO

WHO
Anyone interested in a different, reflective kind of movie.
Not for under 18 due to silly sex scene (even though it's a cartoon).

WHAT
Not a happy movie. A serious movie. Haunting images.
Important subject, and the film might have more sociological value than entertainment value.
Apparently, the filmmaker / former soldier was having flashbacks from forgotten war experiences. He then interviewed colleagues and did research, then animated the interviews, animated the flashbacks (best part) added some news footage, and made the movie.

WHERE
probably won't be in many theaters
no need to seek out.
okay for DVD

WHEN
heavy movie mood, discussion groups
 
HOW
The animation is very good for repetitive haunting flashback images.
Not so good for interviews with the real people's audio and cartoon image with subtitles.

WHY
Sociological value.

slow
good message
sex
violence
gore
profanity
visual
heavy
reality
m oriented
wait for DVD
intelligent
politics
dark
college educated
working class

Wanted     drama no one  glitzy stylish  utterly stupid violent gun brainsplatteriing crap! 2 out of 10. 

WANTED
violence
2
stupid violent nightmare

BEST FOR: columbine fans
GOOD FOR: bad people
NOT FOR: good people

DO NOT SEE
too stupid for all ages

WHO
Nice people stay miles away from this movie. Don't even let your enemies see this movie.
This movie for people who hate society, people who hate other people, people who want to kill people.
Childbeaters, wifebeaters, abusers and the abused will enjoy this movie.
Those who fantasize about bullets going through people's heads in extreme detail in super slow motion. Again and again.

WHAT
A violent brainsplatter gunworshiping glitzy hollywood film of by and for sick people.
It's a slick nightmare-provoking waste of time.
An anglo bloodlust celebration.

WHERE
Never, nowhere.

WHEN
Never, nowhere.

HOW
In the "If only they could have used their brilliance for good instead of evil" department.
Angelina Jolie looks great. Special Effects are excellent including slow-motion close-up effects of bullets crashing into each other or going through brains.

WHY
No mother could relish a role like this. A sick person would relish a role like this. A sick person would spend 3 months of their life on a film with a message like this. You've got to wonder about the morals of anyone associated with this film.

stupid
bad message
sex
violence
gore
hate
stereotypes
profanity
visual
heavy
escapism
now on DVD
unintelligent
non-thinking
waste of time
dark

the Wrestler drama sad, engaging, fascinating. Acting, Story, Scenes. hideous gore. nudity. aging.

THE WRESTLER
drama
8
instant american classic

BEST FOR: aging boys 40+
GOOD FOR: wrestling fans, strippers
NOT FOR:  -18, anyone squeamish!

60+ very good
45-60 M fantastic!
30-45 M great
20-30 okay. sex.
15-20 dull? sex.
-15 no!

WHO
Guys movie.
If you love or loved the sport of Wrestling, or just laughed because it's not a sport, this is a must-see.
Tuff n tender guys, gained a little weight since high school guys, "where am I going to get the money for that?" guys absolutely must see this film. And eventually you will.

Gals who like football will like this film.
Vampire fan girls won't like this film even though there's plenty of blood and open wounds.

WHAT
the Wrestler is a made classic.
(It hasn't even been released yet, but believe me).
This movie is going to be on some cable television channel somewhere in the world continually until the end of time.

An aging wrestler with a heart of gold, and an aging stripper with a heart of gold, too.
Body-slamming wrestling scenes that hurt just to watch.  Graphic stripping scenes that also hurt to watch for anyone sensitive.

WHERE
see on the big screen. Ouch!

WHEN
night out with the guys. friends. singles.

HOW
Really great story-telling. Great story, great presentation, great acting. Tomei and Rourke are incredible and should win some awards.
The sets here are excellent: stark-america scenery outside, inside trailers, bathrooms, lodge-halls, seedy bars...
This is a movie where the Extras/ background performers were so good that it raised the quality and realism up a notch. There's a level of enthusiasm that will sustain the wrestling scenes through the repeated  viewings necessary for cable tv classics.

WHY
The nudity scenes will get a lot of comment from simpletons.
Exploitative strip clubs  are hell holes, and I'm not a fan of pole-dancing as an art form, but Marisa Tomei does it well here.  The movie shows her form of exploitation in detail as it does the wrestler's.

sad
slow
sex
violence
gore
offensive
profanity
beautiful
visual
dramatic
heavy
reality
guy flick
married couples
group movie
dancing
romance
inspiring
dark
working class