“Why do I play a joke on to hate them dad?”
“Because he’s the exclusive thing grade between you and a change one’s mind biography.”
The Feature:
Growing up, I loved wrestling more than any other sport. And no, I’m not just talking about professional wrestling; I’m also talking about amateur wrestling. Unfortunately, I never had the discipline to join my high school team, but I frequently attended the matches, and watched on, as my friends frequently got their butts kicked. It wasn’t until one of my buddies passed out from dehydration, that I learned about wrestling’s dirty little secret… cutting weight. In order to make his weight class, he was ordered to lose six pounds in less than a week by the wrestling coach. As a result, he pushed himself so hard to drop the weight, that he almost killed himself by training too hard. With that being said, I have the job of reviewing “Reversal”, a movie about amateur wrestling that deals with the same exact issue, among others.
“Reversal” begins by developing the relationship between seven-year old Leo Leone and his father (Jim Petulla), the coach of his wrestling team. At such a young age, Leo learns how wrestling is a metaphor for everything in life. Together, Leo and his father train for his upcoming match, and I’m left with the uncomfortable feeling that Leo’s father is looking to live vicariously through his son.
It’s 10 years later, and Leo (Danny Mousetis) and his father are still tight, although they don’t seem to have a deep relationship outside of wrestling. It’s very unnerving to see Coach Leone wear Oklahoma T-Shirts, manipulating his son into believing that he really wants to attend the University of Oklahoma. Sure, his intentions are not necessarily bad. It’s obvious that he loves his son, and a college education is an absolute necessity these days; but when you see Leo’s nose bleed in the middle of a conversation, and later, him throwing up after dinner, then you know something is wrong.
Leo begins dating a girl named Shaw (Kelly Vint), who doesn’t fit the “cheerleader” mold that most athletes go after. They have a realistic chemistry that develops over the course of the movie. With her help, Leo is able to realize that he has to make a choice between living his own life, or letting his father continue to live vicariously through him.
“Reversal” is a unique movie, especially because of the fact that it touts a cast of relative unknowns. “Reversal” is more than just the ins and outs of amateur wrestling. It’s about the relationship between fathers and sons, husbands and wives; it’s about taking control of your life; it’s about sacrifice; and it’s about accomplishing the goals you have set for yourself.