Directed by Roe Moore and written by Joseph Dailey, who also stars as the titular character, when Leonard thinks it’s safe to treat himself to his sister’s crinkle-cut French fries, undercover wrestler is revealed to serve up some justice. Also starring: Janeshia Adams-Ginyard, Ryan Bernales, Jessy Greer, Carli Lind, Andrew Mena, Lucy Slavin and Gavin Velez.
Diving into Undercover Wrestler, it immediately has a very 1980s, music-video or Saved by the Bell style vibe which perfectly sets the tone. It’s light and playful, and cheesy with plenty of puns that feel in the vein of Adam West’s Batman. The whole atmosphere encompasses that air of not taking yourself too seriously, creating something fun and silly which is really enjoyable to watch. The visual is nice and colourful, there’s a lot of energy to it and while it takes a beat to get going, it strengthens as it moves along.
The humour is definitely there, alongside a nice dose of nostalgia. Joseph Dailey’s writing creates a moment akin to bringing someone’s thoughts to life. Capturing the aggression inside your head over little irritations, ones that you’d never typically act on, and bringing in a character to satisfy them. And that he does because Dailey’s performance as the Undercover Wrestler is a lot of fun.
The whole cast capture that feel, they lean into the melodrama and the excitement, although Dailey’s performance is a stand out among them. Although, Janeshia Adams-Ginyard is definitely another key to keeping the comedy going strong. It would have been really easy for this short to feel over the top or insincere, so Roe Moore does a great job of getting the tone to where it needs to be. Creating something that’s all about entertainment, and it’s something that Moore’s previous short struggled with so it’s absolutely a big step in the right direction.
Undercover Wrestler is like a blast from the past, hitting the puns and melodrama that would have fit in well in any 1960s or 1970s flick. It’s funny and plenty silly, it’s shot in a great location with excellent set dressing which nicely adds to the vibrancy of the aesthetic. It’s all about having fun and entertainment, and that really comes across well. It also keeps itself to a tight six minutes, as to not run out of steam, which was a clever choice.
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