You Cannot Kill David Arquette

Warning: This documentary does contain scenes with blood and nudity. There’s even a point where Arquette is thrown against thumbtacks. So viewers be warned!

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By John Gregory

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David Arquette was considered one of the up and coming young actors of the 90’s next to Dicaprio and McConaughey. While he had some successes such as his role as Dewey in the Scream series, he arguably never reached the highs his contemporaries found. For the past ten years he’s been unhirable. He has a near crippling anxiety. Guy even had a heart attack that still affects his day to day life. Given all this, it makes sense he’d want to step into the ring and clear his name in the wrestling community years after winning the WCW belt in what many considered one of the worst moments in the industry. Enter: You Cannot Kill David Arquette

To lay it all out there, I know little to nothing about wrestling. I know who the Rock and Macho Man are as well as the general concepts I’ve absorbed through cultural osmosis. Other than that, I’m a blank canvas unsure how Arquette’s quest would go. Now, to lay his stuff out there, the guy is a producer on the documentary so it could be easy to look at this with a cynical view. In a world where Madonna is working on her own biopic, I must admit to feeling a little disillusioned. And, yeah, there are some moments where you can tell that the filmmakers were adding kindling to the narrative fire to boost the guy’s image. With all that said, let me tell you why you should watch this fascinating film.

Here’s the thing about documentaries: even the best ones are biased. The Last Dance might have been one of the most exciting pieces of media I’ve ever seen. That doesn’t erase how much Micheal Jordan led the conversation and shaped the series’ narrative. What saves You Can’t Kill David Arquette is the genuine look at a guy coming face to face with his shortcomings. He’s had a difficult life at times. Sure, he has money and fame though that doesn’t magically wipe away his problems. When the documentary focuses on his anxieties, as well as the kindness of others, this film shines. That’s not even mentioning the wrestling on display.

While I can’t speak on the quality of wrestling I’ve seen, the acts of athleticism are impressive. Never let anyone tell you this stuff is fake because it isn’t. These guys put themselves on the line every night to entertain. What’s fascinating is how Arquette and co. don’t do the easy thing and go to the major corporations to learn the ropes. The first match he has is a backyard brawl and then goes to luchador (mexican masked) wrestling in Tijuana. Though his wrestling career may only be shown in a montage, I’m floored by just how hard Arquette worked to be on that level. He’s humbled a few times, even hospitalized, yet never gives up. A line that stuck out is when the crew is filming a backyard league’s reaction to a brutal match the titular wrestler took part in. Their reaction? They felt like they gave him a microcosm of wrestling: A “shitty promoter who gassed his head up and made all these promises” only to “get his ass whooped and never get paid”. Poetic words by men who face these issues every day. 

If you love wrestling, watch this documentary. If you love David Arquette, watch this documentary. If you are interested in viewing an industry from the bottom up and witness a guy who has been through some stuff find peace in a community that once hated him, watch this documentary. This isn’t for everyone, I can admit that. Should you have the chance to watch, however, I would urge you to take a chance. I will forever appreciate how hard Arquette worked and managed to find some solace. If you don’t feel that same way, that’s fair. Just remember: You can love him. You can hate him. But you cannot kill David Arquette.