Before the Undertaker, Mick Foley, and John Cena wrestled in sold-out arenas, they learned their trade in places much less so, and co-writer/director Adam J. Wilde’s Slowburn Shoot: An Indie Wrestling Story celebrates the wrestling grassroots ecosystem in this documentary about the Absolute Intense Wrestling (AIW) association and its people.
There’s owner John Thorne, a wrestling die-hard who laments how everyone gets paid but him. There’s Josh Bishop, a fighter hoping to make it to the big leagues, but he worries about an injury setting him back. There’s Josh Prohibition, a 25-year vet who’s preparing for his swan song, as well as Dylan “Swoggle” Postl, who made it to the WWE, the promised land, but is now on the downturn, struggling to let go despite what it could mean for his long-term health. Around them swirl interviews with former AIW wrestlers who now fight elsewhere, as well as the key personnel who pour their souls into the production backstage.
Britt Baker stands in the ring during Slowburn Shoot: An Indie Wrestling Story.
“…celebrates the wrestling grassroots ecosystem…”
There’s no denying everyone involved with Slowburn Shoot loves wrestling and the AIW. Wilde describes its inception, growth, and importance for the local scene in Cleveland, yet it doesn’t push its subjects beyond celebratory statements. Wilde’s direction sees talking heads dominate instead of incisive observation, so the outlook of Slowburn Shoot is that of its subjects, who naturally are proud of what they’ve built and are a part of. It makes Wilde’s documentary more of an advertisement for the AIW, albeit a good one, as it features interesting characters, the warmth of an inclusive community, and the compelling company of those who are true to their passions.
It’s an ensemble piece, but Slowburn Shoot ultimately isn’t sure which of its characters it cares to hitch its wagon to, be it the aspiring newcomer, the wistful old-timer, or a key member of the AIW family who was gone too soon. Beyond character studies, a look inside the finances, the skill of fake-fighting, or the true reality of part-time wrestling would have added depth, so if it’s a more insightful and unvarnished look at low-level wrestling you’re looking for, Robert Greene’s Fake It So Real is the ticket.
Slowburn Shoot is not for the diehards, nor is it for the uninitiated, but for those who fall somewhere in between: those enamored with the showmanship, the drive, and the camaraderie found in semi-professional wrestling, and wanting a casual look inside the sports entertainment industry where the fights are pretend, but the physicality and passion are mighty real.
"…Mighty real..."
