Film
GLOW: The Story of The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
A spirited documentary about GLOW, the scrappy 1986 all-female wrestling phenomenon that burned bright for three years before vanishing. Told through interviews with the performers themselves, it's a portrait of ambition, camaraderie, and the strange joy of staged combat in leotards. For anyone curious about '80s pop culture, women's labour in entertainment, or just a good underdog story.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you love behind-the-scenes stories about low-budget show business, where the people telling it are funny, candid and still a little amazed they ever got to do it.
Skip it if you want a tight, polished documentary with slick editing and a clear narrator guiding you; this one leans on the women's own memories, so it can wander and feel loose.
What it asks of you: Seventy-six minutes of talking heads with old footage tucked between them, unhurried and warm, asking you to listen closely rather than to be dazzled.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
The Toys That Made Us2017
Nostalgia-fuelled deep dives into beloved '80s and '90s products told by the people who created them. Shares GLOW's gift for letting subjects tell their own story without condescension or irony.
But Occasionally feels a bit too much like a branded retrospective, and some episodes lean harder on celebrity cameos than substance.
Hoop Dreams1994
A landmark documentary following two basketball players over a decade, capturing ambition, exploitation, and the gap between dream and reality with unflinching honesty. Shares GLOW's interest in athletes navigating an industry larger than themselves.
But It's nearly three hours and often heartbreaking. Not a feel-good story, even when things work out.
The Iron Claw2023
A scripted reckoning with professional wrestling's real costs, built on family tragedy and the charisma of performers. Captures the same blend of spectacle and vulnerability that makes GLOW's subjects so compelling.
But Dark and heavy in ways that contrast sharply with wrestling's theatrical joy. Requires a stomach for family violence and addiction.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from GLOW: The Story of The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Mad Max: Fury Road2015
Both celebrate female strength through spectacle and physical performance. Both are about women claiming space in genres built without them in mind.
High-octane action film where a woman leads the charge across a desert wasteland. Like GLOW, it's a showcase for female bodies as powerful instruments of action and will, not objects. Both celebrate physicality with genuine affection.
But Two hours of near-constant vehicle chases and explosions. If you want character development or dialogue, you'll be frustrated.
More like this (7)
Pumping Iron1977
Documentary about bodybuilding's underground scene in the '70s, following competitors through training and competition. Captures the same weird mix of theater, athleticism, and personal stakes that GLOW documented.
But The '70s vibe and body-focused content feel dated now, and some attitudes toward gender haven't aged well.
Free Solo2018
Intimate documentary following a rock climber attempting an extreme feat. Masterfully balances technical detail, personal stakes, and the question of why someone would risk everything for their passion.
But If heights terrify you, this becomes genuinely difficult to watch. The tension can feel almost unbearable.
Muscle Shoals2013
A love letter to a small-town Alabama recording studio and the musicians who made it legendary. Shares GLOW's warmth toward its subjects and genuine affection for a specific moment in entertainment history.
But If you're not interested in '60s and '70s soul and rock music, the appeal narrows considerably.
RiP!: A Remix Manifesto2008
Documentary about copyright, creativity, and cultural ownership in the internet age. Thoughtful and playful, with the same respect for hustlers and innovators that GLOW shows its wrestlers.
But Heavy on theory and intellectual argument. If you want pure narrative, this gets abstract and tangential.
Comedian2002
Jerry Seinfeld and other comedians discuss the craft of making people laugh. Quieter than GLOW but shares its interest in the unglamorous work behind entertaining others.
But Very male-dominated conversation and somewhat dated. The Seinfeld focus limits its range.
Girlfriend in a Coma2012
Both are documents of women building community and creative identity in male-dominated entertainment, told entirely through their own voices and memories.
A documentary about all-women punk band Buzzcocks through their own film and memories. Messy, funny, and fiercely unpolished—a record of women making art on their own terms in a male-dominated scene.
But Audio and video quality is deliberately rough. If you need professional production values or any kind of narrative structure, this will feel chaotic.
Mulholland Drive2001
Both explore the gap between persona and self in entertainment. Both ask what happens to women who build careers on performing a version of themselves.
A fractured, dreamlike narrative about ambition, performance, and identity in Los Angeles. Not a documentary—a work of art that captures the psychological cost of the entertainment industry and the roles women are asked to play.
But Deliberately obscure and non-linear. It demands active interpretation and rewards it unevenly. Easier to admire than to enjoy.
People
Cast
- Emily DoleHerself (Mt. Fiji)
Dee BooherHerself (Matilda The Hun)- Angelina AltishinHerself (Little Egypt)
- Jeanne BasoneHerself (Hollywood)
Lisa MorettiSelf - Tina Ferrari- Ric DrasinSelf - The Equalizer
Directing
- Brett WhitcombDirector
Writing
- Bradford ThomasonWriter
Production
- Antony HingAssociate Producer
- Michael BelloAssociate Producer
- Angelina AltishinProducer
- Bradford ThomasonProducer
- Brett WhitcombProducer
- Jason ConnellProducer