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If your idea of wrestling is still informed by memories of ITV\u2019s World Of Sport in the 1970s and 80s, Cassandro could hit you like a Big Daddy splashdown.<\/p>\n
This hugely entertaining biopic is set in the world of Mexican wrestling where agile grapplers perform astonishingly athletic feats.<\/p>\n
As in the British version, the outcome of a Lucha Libre bout is always arranged in advance, but there\u2019s nothing phoney about Gael Garcia Bernal\u2019s touching and impressively acrobatic performance.<\/p>\n
Sa\u00fal Armendar\u00edz is the gay Mexican-American grappler who shot to fame in the \u201890s as the \u2018Liberace of Lucha Libre\u2019.<\/p>\n
The drama begins with Sa\u00fal (Bernal) working at an El Paso car wash by day, then making regular night-time trips across the Mexican border to perform as El Topo (The Mouse) in a rundown Mexican venue.<\/p>\n
READ MORE <\/strong> James Bond auditions \u2013 Casino Royale director admits Daniel Craig casting worry<\/strong><\/p>\n Playing on his diminutive stature, promoters keep pitching him against man mountain Gigantico (played by one of the film\u2019s real-life wrestling stars) who has little time for theatrics.<\/p>\n Tired of being instantly overpowered, Sa\u00fal seeks out the help of famous wrestler Sabrina (Roberta Colindrez) who competes under the moniker Lady Anarquia.<\/p>\n After teaching him slick new moves, she persuades him to play the \u2018exotico\u2019, a stock character whose role is to puncture the testosterone-fuelled theatrics by flouncing around the ring while mocking the macho fighters.<\/p>\n The crowds love an exotico but shower them with homophobic abuse. The rules of Lucha Libre demand that order must be restored by the exotico\u2019s inevitable defeat.<\/p>\n The jeers turn to cheers when Sa\u00fal makes his barnstorming acrobatic debut as Cassandro. So promoters decide to flout tradition by letting him win. A star and an unlikely gay icon is born.<\/p>\n Bernal keeps us rooting for the underdog with an acrobatic turn in the ring and a soulful performance alongside an excellent Perla de la Rosa who plays his mum Yocasta.<\/p>\n We learn that Sa\u00fal came out at 15, leading to estrangement from his religious father Eduardo (Robert Salas).<\/p>\n The film works as a family drama as well as a rousing underdog tale. Bernal body slams them both, holding us in his vice-like grip throughout.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/36\/590x\/secondary\/4960546.jpg?r=1694722556782\")
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