Filmed at the peak of the Monday night ratings war, the movie takes an inside look at the final year of Bret Hart's career with the wrestling promotion, The World Wrestling Federation, (now World Wrestling Entertainment). Without spoiling the movie, too much, this documentary directed by Paul Jay not only shows an insight into wrestling's biggest star at the time, but also the wrestling business itself and the most controversial non scripted legit incident coined simply as 'the Montreal Screw Job' at the 1997's 'Survivor Series' PPV. While, today, most wrestlers are more open about talking the inside secrets about the business; at the time, the professional wrestling organizations worked to maintain the illusion of story lines and characters, in a moral code matter called 'kayfabe'. Because of this, any performer that broke character, would reach far-reaching ramifications. So, this beg the question, how did, director Jay and his crew, was given unprecedented access toward, this secretly world. Well, it's because the owner of the WWF, Vince McMahon was fighting against an uphill battle against his competitor at the time, World Championship Wrestling, which already raid some of his company's best talents. He couldn't lose, anymore top stars, jumping ship in 1996, so he mostly agree to his stars demands, when negotiated new contracts. One of those, demands, was for filmmaker, Jay to follow Hart, and his family, around WWF events, because Bret wanted a documentary highlight the legendary of Hart Wrestling Family for their native Calgary fans. Because of this, it was the first time, in forever, outside cameras were allow to film backstage since the mid-1980s. However, what Jay and Hart didn't know at the time, is how bad, WWF's financial were, at the time, and how McMahon couldn't live up to what Hart was demanding from his contract. It was here, where the movie change its direction and structure from showing the achievements of the Hart Family, to them, focusing on the backstage politics of Hart. Accounting to the film's extras, Hart mentions that filming had actually concluded prior to 1997's 'Survivor Series' and Bret had suggested to Jay that he may wish to bring the crew to the event, as to document his final match with the WWF. Surprising, for both of them, this added footage became the key ingredient, needed for this film. Without that dramatic climax, I really doubt, the film would had work. However, there were a few criticism, over the rights of that footage. Since, filming rights has ended, before that PPV. McMahon felt entitled for that footage, as he has claim Jay, broke their contract. He sued him, as a result. The director went on to state that WCW has contacted him, not only to offered to pay for the lawsuit, but also offered a PPV deal for the film and long term distribution on the Turner network. Once McMahon became aware of this, Vince back down, and allow Jay to use stock footage, and the use of the names and likeness of the other wrestlers featured in the film. Yet, McMahon didn't go all, quietly, as he used some of his reputation to kill some of the distribution. Having face, a backlash, with Jay, McMahon try to couther the negative prints, by allowing another documentary to be made, backstage, 1999's 'Beyond the Mat'. However, that film also made the WWF look bad. Because of that, most wrestling documentaries under the WWF banner, has been produced by WWF/E Home Video since then. While it's easy to view the film and simply think of Bret as the good guy and Vince as the bad guy; I think you would had to understand, a deeper sense of Vince & Bret's perspective. Both men are very prideful, very difficult to work with, and equally as stubborn. You see this, in a way, how Hart outright lies to the camera, about being able to work with anybody and not injuring anybody on purpose, despite having problems, with previous wrestlers like Bad News Brown, Jerry Lawler, Ric Flair and Dino Bravo in the past that resulted in real-life injuries. Then, there is the claim that he never slept with anybody, during his first marriage, which according to his later book, that he indeed cheated on his then-wife, Julie. Kinda hypocritical, for a man that claims that the "WWF Attitude" marketing brand which relies on an emphasis on sex, extreme violence, and the replacing of heroic wrestling characters with disaffected anti-heroes, was the worst thing to happen to pro-wrestling. Hart might be the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be! Yet, he's kinda a jerk. This documentary kinda shows that. Yes, I'm a huge fan of the man's work, but I got a problem, on how little, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart, & Davey Boy Smith are given to talk, seeing how the documentary was originally about them. Yes, I like the rare look at Hart's family life, but it does focus on Hart's business problems a little too much that it became somewhat annoying, even if it made Hart, a bigger hero, than he was, without it. For Vince, this movie was the best thing to happen to him, as he was indeed able to use the real-life heat, from the screw-job to usher a great storyline with him as an on screen villain. While, most people generally believed that Bret Hart was indeed screw-over, still, there are others that felt that this was truly a work of storytelling fiction and Hart was in on it. Nevertheless, based on this documentary, there is just way too many inconsistent to believe that was the case. Overall: Vince and Bret would ultimately buried the hatchet in 2002 and on aired in 2010, but this documentary would always be a great time capsule essential documentary for both wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike. A tragic betrayal film at its best.

There's quite an amusing bit in Wrestling With Shadows where a man on a TV panel show earnestly likens Bret Hart to Hamlet – he says both are good men stuck in immoral worlds. Only in Canada (and possibly Mexico) could such a discussion be televised and it not be part of a sketch show. After all, as Bret himself points out, for a brief time he was the most famous Canadian in the world.But although I find it amazing that a programme could use wrestling as a means in which to discuss morals, and although I'm even more amazed that such a show could find its way on the airways, the documentary that features it is superb. Here you have a film that, like the excellent Beyond the Mat, lifts the veil on wrestling and shows the world how the whole crazy enterprise works. It most certainly isn't Shakespeare (and Bret Hart isn't Hamlet), but the story that unfolds is riveting.As in Beyond the Mat, one of the main themes in this film is the way wrestling blurs lines that are drawn between the real and the unreal. Yes we all know the matches are predetermined and that punches are pulled, but that's beside the point. The reality is in the reactions generated by fans. The reality is the sacrifices performers have to make to succeed in the business – many forsake normal family lives. The reality is in the cruelty of the profession – no pensions and no job security. So although the matches are planned in advance, there are careers and lives on the line.What the film captures wonderfully is Hart's internal conflict. He wants to be a hero, but people are starting to boo him, and he wants to stay loyal to Vince McMahon (who's almost like a second father), but he has a big money offer from WCW. There are lots of things going on, almost all of them out of his control. And while that may seem crazy, wrestling being almost entirely about control and manipulation of people's emotions, it further illustrates how complicated the business is – while he's worshipped like a god in Canada and across the world (the reaction in India is hardly phoney), he's vilified in America as bland and unfashionable; people want something different.And that's probably Bret Hart's problem. As great an athlete as he was, he found it hard to adapt to the new attitude that wrestling acquired in the late 90s. He was too emotionally invested in being a hero. If anything, he cared too much about the fans. He probably would have adapted better if he had less scruples. But that's what also makes Hart a wonderful subject for this documentary. He never sells out and he never breaks his word – even in such a scuzzy business as wrestling, he maintains his dignity. He's also at odds with his new position within the company as the number one heel – he doesn't like insulting the fans. But such is Hart's professionalism that he does and does it exceedingly well. Indeed, the whole period of wrestling that the film documents was the most exciting I can remember. Wrestling since has been a pale shadow of what it was back then.Despite my opinion, though, Hart doesn't like the new direction and openly criticises it. And this is probably what leads to his downfall. His determination to be honest at all times alienates Vince McMahon and may well have inspired the infamous Montreal screw job.And the section of the film that deals with the events in Montreal make for fascinating viewing. First of all you have the way Bret Hart's wife emotionally says goodbye to what she thinks are her friends. Then you have Blade (Bret's son) sulking in the corner because he'll never see a lot of these people again. And after that you have Bret telling his wife that Earl Hebner, the referee, is straight (he swore on his kids that nothing would happen). It all adds up to betrayal that is like having your family stab you in the back – being the sort of person he is, you can more than understand why Hart is so devastated. However, you can also kind of see McMahon's point of view. He was fighting a bitter fight with WCW and one of his main (expensive) stars had been openly criticising his direction; McMahon wanted to do the best he could to taint the goods Ted Turner had paid handsomely for. But even though from a cold, objective business point of view, I can understand why Vince did it, he does fully deserve the punch in the face that Hart deals out to him. The whole situation could and should have been handled better.Aside from this, you also have a film about a man and his relationship with his father, and the one here is unique to say the least. One of the funniest sections in the film is when the Hart's recount the way Stu Hart would 'stretch out' aspiring wrestlers. In one instance you can even hear a kid screaming his head off as Stu slaps him, saying 'Have some discipline'. It's here that you understand how and why Bret became the man he is. He was afraid of his father but respected him, too. And because of the strict sense of right and wrong that was fostered in him, he found it hard to accept the shades of grey that crept into wrestling.But while, in a sense, this moral rigidity hampers Bret's career, it also protects him. Many wrestlers, when they retire, go off the rails, but with Bret (despite everything that's happened since the film) you feel he'll be okay. At least, you hope that will be the case.

I really enjoyed this movie. It shows alot of th events leading up to the montreal skrew job and it also touches on Brets personal life. I think this movie really shows what a wresler has to go through and how it affects them.If you like the HITMAN or just love wrestling...pick this up. Its Great.

I bought "Wrestling with Shadows" a few years ago. I recently found it and decided to watch it just to see if my opinion of Bret Hart and his WWF exit had changed. It hadn't. Not one bit.Bret Hart forgot that pro wrestling is a work. His insistence that dropping the WWF world championship to Shawn Michaels in Montreal, Canada was unacceptable is flat- out ludicrous. Bret can't stand Shawn -- that's the crux of the issue. Bret Hart simply didn't want to put Shawn Michaels over and leave WWF in a classy manner. The fact that the show was in Canada is irrelevant.And what happened when he appeared on WCW television the first time? More whining.And that scene of his wife whining at the wrestlers? Puhleeze! Like they had anything to do with it. Vince McMahon said "Bret screwed Bret because he wouldn't do right by the business that made him." He's right.