'You Cannot Kill David Arquette' Review: A brutally honest tale of a man working to win back his lost respect
Right off the bat, 'You Cannot Kill David Arquette' brings with it a variety of emotions. It's like a sugar rush, gives you a massive high, only to plummet you just as quickly. Arquette is complicated and David Darg and Price James' documentary attempts to look at the psyche of man. This was a man who was once touted to be the next big thing in Hollywood in the '90s.
He appeared alongside some of his peers who are now legends, it all seemed to go well until there was that abysmal career-breaker in 'Ready to Rumble' (2000). What followed next was something that hurtled Arquette into a valley so deep that climbing back up has been an uphill battle. The film was produced along with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and what followed was a company trying to bring the up and coming actor for some promotional screentime.
Soon after, there was this cockamamie decision to make Arquette a world heavyweight champ in one of their storylines. Mind you, he didn't have any ring experience. This was the man people remembered from the 'Scream' franchise and 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and then it all went full-tilt bonkers putting Arquette in a slide he couldn't arrest.
In the documentary, he admits he's faced rejection for a decade and dubbed his career crappy. Quite simply, 'You Cannot Kill David Arquette' is an honest effort where he tries to win back his respect from the very fanbase that totally trashed him for the debacle back in 2000. There are enough moments of Arquette coming to terms with his mistakes and the repercussions that followed. He didn't make a lot of perfect decisions back then.
And unlike the staged fights, life's actual smarting punches are being shown. He's in his mid-forties now, he's still earnest and hopeful in his idea of becoming a properly trained wrestler. But for some reason, every step he takes sees forces in the form of hate and negativity push him two steps backward. Add to that self-doubt and criticism, it looks like everything's just against him.
What the documentary makes you realize is that this has been a man with a tag that's been the cause of both hate and sympathy. But it hasn't been a complete failure as over the years, he's managed to get them to hate him for better reasons. He's an improved wrestler in fine shape. Darg and James try to keep things as realistic as possible, especially in a world like pro wrestling where many factors add to predetermination.
This is a story of a man battling hate and doubts — both from himself and from the public eye. What eggs you to cheer for him is the immense effort in getting back up. This makes the documentary a compelling watch and worth the 90 minutes. The storyline is kept crisp and neatly woven. 'You Cannot Kill David Arquette' may not be a story of greatness, but it is real, utterly believable and completely relatable.
'You Cannot Kill David Arquette' releases on VoD on Friday, August 28.