In 1980, a teenage boy escapes the unrest in Iran only to face more hostility in America, due to the hostage crisis. Determined to fit in, he joins the school's floundering wrestling team.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. takes inspiration from his real life to help craft one of the most intense dramas of the year in Waves.
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Title: American Wrestler: The Wizard (2016)
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10 wins.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| George Kosturos | ... | Ali Jahani | |
| William Fichtner | ... | Coach Plyler | |
| Ali Afshar | ... | Hafez Tabad | |
| Lia Marie Johnson | ... | Kristi Larsen | |
| Gabriel Basso | ... | Jimmy Petersen | |
| Jon Voight | ... | Principal Skinner | |
| Sasha Feldman | ... | Dan 'Toad' Webster | |
 |
Chase Mowen | ... | Mike Thornhill |
| Kevin G. Schmidt | ... | Rowan Knox | |
| Nicholas Guilak | ... | Pasha | |
| Shannon Collis | ... | Wendy | |
|
|
Karina Andrews | ... | Miss Larsen |
|
|
Tony Panterra | ... | Mr. Jahani |
| Salome Azizi | ... | Mrs. Jahani | |
|
|
John Asadi | ... | Truck Driver |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
In this inspiring tale based on true events, 17-year-old Ali Jahani is a newcomer to a small California town, where he stands out as different in an unwelcoming community. Living with his embittered uncle, the boy faces a mountain of adversity everywhere he turns. Rejected by everyone but determined to fit in, he joins the school's floundering wrestling team. With a chance to change how others see him, Ali must step up and learn to be a hero. Written by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated PG-13 for violence, some disturbing images, language and thematic material | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
16 May 2017 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Wizard See more »Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Ali: No, but I've endured more pain than anyone in this room.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The Diner scenes were filmed at Pete's Henny Penny Diner in Petaluma, California. See more »Goofs
Whereas Sectionals, Districts or Regionals leading up to State Tournaments may be held in high school gyms, State Tournaments are large scale events held in coliseums, with multiple mats running simultaneously - not just one. Just about every seat would be filled, especially those nearest the action. You would not have a championship final where, looking past the boys on the mat, you'd see row upon row of empty seats. See more »Quotes
Coach Plyler: I mean, have you ever even wrestled before?Ali: No, but I've endured more pain than anyone in this room.
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I have found this movie by accidental click on IMDb and decided to watch it without waiting. I am wrestler too and I am always very interested how actors will handle wrestler roles and how wrestling feeling will be represented in the movie. I was not expecting a lot from this movie and in the end I was not disappointed.
Movie is based on true events and that is definitely a plus, since I can also learn something about events I am not familiar with. There are a lot of serious topics, like descrimination, bullying in school, relationships between generations and of course, wrestling. Competitions and training are shown quite realistic. There was only 1 moment in whole movie, when Ali's uncle shows one of the basic moves and wrestlers look at him like they have learned something new, but I believe It was made just to keep things more simple.
In the end It's a well made movie which is not exceptional, but I definitely can recommend it even if you're not a sport lover.