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DVD Review: A Gentleman's Choice

Posted: Dec 16th 2008 By: CMBurnham

The title of the film is "A Gentleman's Choice: The Chris Adams Story". Indeed this is a film about choices, the choices we all make as to whether we become assets or liabilities to those who are close to us. At times Chris Adams was a tremendous asset, a loving father, a genuine husband, a caring and compassionate friend, and a tremendously popular hero to thousands. Yet, he was also a horrendous liability, someone who used people, a drug addict, a thief, an accused murderer, and an absentee parent.

Film director Mickey Grant offers a unique perspective in making this documentary. Not only is he an accomplished film maker, but Mr. Grant was also a friend of Chris Adams and as director of World Class Championship Wrestling was susceptible to many of the same vices that ultimately destroyed Chris Adams. Mickey did a masterful job of balancing the two sides of Chris Adams, and for being friends with someone, he had the daunting task of balancing the truths of Adams's life, with his affection for his deceased friend.

The film offers a lot of great WCCW wrestling action in the form of highlights, as a wrestling documentary alone, this is a great trip down memory lane to the glory days of Texas wrestling. It offers insight into the era with conversations featuring Bill Mercer, Mickey Grant, Kevin Von Erich, and Gary Hart, as well as, Killer Tim Brooks. We get to revisit several huge angles and storylines and see how and why Gentleman Chris became such a megastar. The film also shows the pitfalls and hardships of being an independent wrestling promoter. Many wrestling documentaries are very formulaic, not so with "Gentleman's Choice". This is a unique film offering firsthand perspectives and with many individuals speaking for the first time about the questions and situations presented.

The movie also serves as a tribute of sorts to how someone came from relative obscurity in another country to become one of the most popular wrestlers of WCCW and perhaps, the world at the height of his career. The interviews with his parents are refreshing, you can tell how much love and pride they had for their son. Hearing his brother (a Silver Olympic Medalist in Judo) speak about him is a very cool insight, rarely do we hear from the siblings of wrestlers that aren't involved in the sport. He speaks of his brother with reverence and at times, an underlying melancholy.

"Gentleman's Choice" moves at a comfortable pace, spending enough time on each subject so that you get a complete picture, but fast enough so that nothing seems to drag. It utilizes a quick cut format, but the characters are gradually and properly introduced so that when they are shown again it isn't as though you can't remember who they are.

The subject of Steve Austin is featured very well and shows a lot of neat clips that I don't think have been shown anywhere before. Just hearing a young Stunning Steve Austin mess up a promo is worth the price of the film in and of itself.

The subject of Adam's addiction is featured prominently, as really that is the crux of his self destruction. It also shows how one man's problems bled over into the lives of others. This is a side of Chris Adam's the fans never saw, but it is a good thing that we see it now. Hearing his young daughter Julia speak is truly heartbreaking. Hearing his friends and colleagues speak is so sad, infinitely so, when hearing Gary Hart, who obviously had a deep love for his friend.

This documentary should also serve as a warning about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. We can easily discern that Gentleman Chris sober and Chris Adams intoxicated were two completely different individuals, perhaps that is why you will develop intense emotions watching this film. On one hand you will admire Chris Adams, you'll see the footage and hear his story and develop an empathy for the man, but on the other hand you will see how a self absorbed ego centric drug addict ruined not only his life, but the lives of others.

I wont' give away any of the stories, but suffice to say that this film is absolutely amazing. In fact, using the word amazing seems like too little of a compliment to pay it. Of all the wrestling documentaries out there, "A Gentleman's Choice: The Chris Adams Story" is something you absolutely must see. You will miss him, you will remember why you loved him, and you'll also hate him, but paramount, you will develop an understanding of why and how this happened. Hopefully this film will help others to either get help with drug or alcohol addiction and/or serve as a precaution to people ever trying those things.

I think what Mickey Grant has done with this film is show that we all have choices, and we ALWAYS have a choice, it's never too late for someone viewing this film. It's too late for Chris Adam's and maybe, if someone can be helped then the Gentleman's tragic pitiful story and his horrible death will not have been in vain.

The Chris Adams Story" Directed by Mickey Grant of www.creativehat.com The film officially debuts on Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 on www.eyesoda.com Purchase price is $8 (eight dollars US) for online stream viewing and you can purchase the DVD version (featuring extras) from www.eyesoda.com for a limited time special pricing of $24.95.

You can listen to my uncut interview with Mickey Grant- Director of "A Gentleman's Choice: The Chris Adams Story" at www.myvirtualbc.com

Tags: Chris Adams, WCCW, Bill Mercer, Kevin Von Erich, Gary Hart, Tim Brooks