Trenge Film "Veritas" Reviewed by RevWrestling.com

ideamark · 12-11-2007, 10:22 PM

For those who have seen it... do you agree?

http://revwrestling.com/articles/316...Review-Veritas
Film Review: Veritas
12/11/2007
Jim Beezer, Staff Writer
jim@revwrestling.com

The heart and fiery character of former Lehigh wrestler Jon Trenge are captured in Veritas, a feature-length documentary written and directed by Howie Miller. The film takes the audience through an emotionally-filled ride through Trenge's senior season (2005) as he trains to win the NCAA title at 197 pounds. Miller does an excellent job of building the character of Jon Trenge through interviews with family members, coaches, teammates, and opponents. The shear force and skill of Trenge are dynamically captured through live match footage, practice drills and weight sessions. His life events are strung together as if scripted for Hollywood.

Jon Trenge (Photo/Jeffrey Nolan)

Despite common knowledge, there is still a sense of hope as the movie begins: Trenge skipping rope alone in the Lehigh Wrestling room wearing nothing but biker shorts and 200 pounds of shredded muscle. A progression through his first three seasons sets the stage for his final season at Lehigh University. Included along the way are painful flashbacks to his NCAA finals losses to Cael Sanderson of Iowa State (2002) and Damion Hahn of Minnesota (2003). The movie climaxes nicely at the NCAA Championships, where Trenge finishes a disappointing third place after an upset loss to Sean Stender of Northern Iowa in the semifinals. The season-ending banquet and college graduation remind the audience that there is more to life than wrestling.

The word Veritas means Righteousness, Truth, and Integrity. While these virtues are the theme of the movie, it is Trenge's ongoing vision problems that consume the plotline. Therefore, the director is forced to use a rollercoaster ride of highs (two epic wins over three-time NCAA champion Jake Rosholt of Oklahoma State) and lows (match disqualification for unsportsmanlike conduct and suspension) as the landscape for this film. Despite the creative restrictions inherent in documentaries, Miller is able to artfully convey the beauty and emotion behind the sport of wrestling. High shutter speed cinematography (the same effect used in Gladiator and Saving Private Ryan) captures the explosiveness of Trenge as he pins an early season opponent. There are instances in the movie in which the camera loses focus as Trenge removes his glasses, giving the audience a sneak-peak at what if feels like to wrestle blindly.

As quick and strong as Cael? Reflecting on the movie and Trenge's career, the following thoughts come to mind:

• The lopsided loss to Cael Sanderson was a reminder of Cael's dominance and an introduction to Trenge's naivete ("I don't think he was quicker than me, or any stronger than me"). Nevertheless, both wrestlers still had lifelong dreams to pursue -- Sanderson as an Olympic champion and Trenge as an NCAA champion.

• Damion Hahn's win over Trenge in the NCAA finals was the turning point in his career and provided a longer lasting effect to Trenge due to the very nature of the defeat. Losing 4-3 in the third period, Hahn threw a lateral drop with only eight seconds left to steal the win and NCAA championship. The highlights brought back painful memories of Gerry Abas's meltdown against Lincoln McIlravy in the 1993 NCAA finals. For Trenge, the loss marked the beginning of long road ahead, which began with the "worst two months of (his) life". Meanwhile, the win for Damion Hahn transformed him from an underachieving bust to a Minnesota celebrity overnight, and gave him the confidence to succeed on both the college and international stage.

• The director chose not to include the 2003-2004 season as part of Trenge's journey. That season, Trenge took a redshirt in order to train for the Sidney Olympics (he placed fifth at the 2004 Olympic Team Trials).

Trenge removed his shoes and placed them in the center of the mat (Photo/Danielle Hobeika)

• I couldn't help but feel empathy for Jon Trenge, who is faced to deal with circumstances outside of his control. The adversity he faces on and off the mat has molded him into a man driven to succeed but grounded in humility. He continues to serve as a role model to young wrestlers in the blue-collar community of the Lehigh Valley. This type of character development should be branded as part of the wrestling experience, and advertised using more real-life documentaries.

• Following his third-place match, Trenge removed his wrestling shoes and placed them in the center of the mat. This gesture, common for athletes on the world and Olympic level, signifies the end of a wrestler's competitive career. For Jon Trenge, it marked his place in history as one of the best wrestlers never to win an NCAA championship.

Vertitas is a very entertaining and inspiring movie that would make a great stocking-stuffer for any wrestling fan. Note to the amateur wrestling community: real-life stories of guys like Jon Trenge are the best way to gain more publicity for the sport.

If you would like more information on Veritas and/or information on ordering the film, visit www.veritas-movie.com

Spider · 12-17-2007, 12:53 PM

I just watched Veritas and really liked it. There's lots of good wrestling action, and some lessons to be learned. I was particularly impressed with Coach Strobel. He has a great attitude and coaching philosophy, and is a fine role model for his wrestlers - or at least that's how it seemed from the movie. I agree with Mark - this DVD would make a very good gift for any wrestler or fan.

ideamark · 12-22-2007, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spider

I just watched Veritas and really liked it. There's lots of good wrestling action, and some lessons to be learned. I was particularly impressed with Coach Strobel. He has a great attitude and coaching philosophy, and is a fine role model for his wrestlers - or at least that's how it seemed from the movie. I agree with Mark - this DVD would make a very good gift for any wrestler or fan.

Just to clarify... I myself have NOT seen "Veritas" or any portion of it (other than the trailer posted online.) The review was written by another writer at RevWrestling, Jim Beezer, whose "beat" is reviewing wrestling products, including books and films. (My beat is interviewing and writing profiles of current athletes, and the historical stuff.)

I have just ordered a copy of the DVD. When it arrives here, I plan to drop everything and watch.

Mark

Spider · 12-22-2007, 05:30 AM

You won't be disappointed.

ideamark · 12-31-2007, 04:46 PM

I had been wanting to see "Veritas" since it was shown at the 2007 NCAAs at Auburn Hills, Michigan last March. I finally got the opportunity this weekend. The copy of the DVD I ordered arrived Saturday afternoon.

It was well worth the wait.

Truth is, it's incredible.

Some of you may be skeptical. You've cringed at some truly lame fictional films about amateur wrestling... and you may have sat through some truly amateurish amateur wrestling documentaries that look like they were done on a shoestring and a prayer.

"Veritas" is first-class all the way. It looks and sounds like a big-time movie. It's the kind of movie you could show to folks who aren't wrestling fans, and they'll be so inspired, they'll suddenly become fans.

The documentary is clear in its storytelling. It quickly sketches out Trenge's first three years of his wrestling career at Lehigh... then explains his situation with detached retinas which force him to compete with custom-tailored eyegoggles. Then the movie takes you behind-the-scenes of Trenge's senior year -- to practices, to matches, to talks with his trainer and his head coach, Greg Strobel. We also get to know Jon's parents and their relationship with their son (with some fun family video to show us Jon as a young wrestler).

One of the coolest aspects for me was that, during matches, we can hear comments/instruction from Coach Strobel and from Jon's parents. After "Veritas", I have new appreciation for Greg Strobel as a coach. He's the kind of upstanding guy you'd want coaching and teaching your kids.

In other words, two thumbs up for "Veritas" from this amatuer movie reviewer.

Mark

12-11-2007, 10:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
ideamark NCAA Champ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Cincinnati area Posts: 1,643	Trenge Film "Veritas" Reviewed by RevWrestling.com For those who have seen it... do you agree? http://revwrestling.com/articles/316...Review-Veritas Film Review: Veritas 12/11/2007 Jim Beezer, Staff Writer jim@revwrestling.com The heart and fiery character of former Lehigh wrestler Jon Trenge are captured in Veritas, a feature-length documentary written and directed by Howie Miller. The film takes the audience through an emotionally-filled ride through Trenge's senior season (2005) as he trains to win the NCAA title at 197 pounds. Miller does an excellent job of building the character of Jon Trenge through interviews with family members, coaches, teammates, and opponents. The shear force and skill of Trenge are dynamically captured through live match footage, practice drills and weight sessions. His life events are strung together as if scripted for Hollywood. Jon Trenge (Photo/Jeffrey Nolan) Despite common knowledge, there is still a sense of hope as the movie begins: Trenge skipping rope alone in the Lehigh Wrestling room wearing nothing but biker shorts and 200 pounds of shredded muscle. A progression through his first three seasons sets the stage for his final season at Lehigh University. Included along the way are painful flashbacks to his NCAA finals losses to Cael Sanderson of Iowa State (2002) and Damion Hahn of Minnesota (2003). The movie climaxes nicely at the NCAA Championships, where Trenge finishes a disappointing third place after an upset loss to Sean Stender of Northern Iowa in the semifinals. The season-ending banquet and college graduation remind the audience that there is more to life than wrestling. The word Veritas means Righteousness, Truth, and Integrity. While these virtues are the theme of the movie, it is Trenge's ongoing vision problems that consume the plotline. Therefore, the director is forced to use a rollercoaster ride of highs (two epic wins over three-time NCAA champion Jake Rosholt of Oklahoma State) and lows (match disqualification for unsportsmanlike conduct and suspension) as the landscape for this film. Despite the creative restrictions inherent in documentaries, Miller is able to artfully convey the beauty and emotion behind the sport of wrestling. High shutter speed cinematography (the same effect used in Gladiator and Saving Private Ryan) captures the explosiveness of Trenge as he pins an early season opponent. There are instances in the movie in which the camera loses focus as Trenge removes his glasses, giving the audience a sneak-peak at what if feels like to wrestle blindly. As quick and strong as Cael? Reflecting on the movie and Trenge's career, the following thoughts come to mind: • The lopsided loss to Cael Sanderson was a reminder of Cael's dominance and an introduction to Trenge's naivete ("I don't think he was quicker than me, or any stronger than me"). Nevertheless, both wrestlers still had lifelong dreams to pursue -- Sanderson as an Olympic champion and Trenge as an NCAA champion. • Damion Hahn's win over Trenge in the NCAA finals was the turning point in his career and provided a longer lasting effect to Trenge due to the very nature of the defeat. Losing 4-3 in the third period, Hahn threw a lateral drop with only eight seconds left to steal the win and NCAA championship. The highlights brought back painful memories of Gerry Abas's meltdown against Lincoln McIlravy in the 1993 NCAA finals. For Trenge, the loss marked the beginning of long road ahead, which began with the "worst two months of (his) life". Meanwhile, the win for Damion Hahn transformed him from an underachieving bust to a Minnesota celebrity overnight, and gave him the confidence to succeed on both the college and international stage. • The director chose not to include the 2003-2004 season as part of Trenge's journey. That season, Trenge took a redshirt in order to train for the Sidney Olympics (he placed fifth at the 2004 Olympic Team Trials). Trenge removed his shoes and placed them in the center of the mat (Photo/Danielle Hobeika) • I couldn't help but feel empathy for Jon Trenge, who is faced to deal with circumstances outside of his control. The adversity he faces on and off the mat has molded him into a man driven to succeed but grounded in humility. He continues to serve as a role model to young wrestlers in the blue-collar community of the Lehigh Valley. This type of character development should be branded as part of the wrestling experience, and advertised using more real-life documentaries. • Following his third-place match, Trenge removed his wrestling shoes and placed them in the center of the mat. This gesture, common for athletes on the world and Olympic level, signifies the end of a wrestler's competitive career. For Jon Trenge, it marked his place in history as one of the best wrestlers never to win an NCAA championship. Vertitas is a very entertaining and inspiring movie that would make a great stocking-stuffer for any wrestling fan. Note to the amateur wrestling community: real-life stories of guys like Jon Trenge are the best way to gain more publicity for the sport. If you would like more information on Veritas and/or information on ordering the film, visit www.veritas-movie.com __________________ Peace www.IntermatWrestle.com http://www.examiner.com/x-7334-Colle...tling-Examiner

12-17-2007, 12:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
Spider Ancient Arachnid Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 4,254	Re: Trenge Film "Veritas" Reviewed by RevWrestling.com I just watched Veritas and really liked it. There's lots of good wrestling action, and some lessons to be learned. I was particularly impressed with Coach Strobel. He has a great attitude and coaching philosophy, and is a fine role model for his wrestlers - or at least that's how it seemed from the movie. I agree with Mark - this DVD would make a very good gift for any wrestler or fan. __________________ "Love never dies." The Beatles

12-22-2007, 05:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
Spider Ancient Arachnid Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 4,254	Re: Trenge Film "Veritas" Reviewed by RevWrestling.com You won't be disappointed. __________________ "Love never dies." The Beatles

12-31-2007, 04:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
ideamark NCAA Champ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Cincinnati area Posts: 1,643	Re: Trenge Film "Veritas" Reviewed by RevWrestling.com I had been wanting to see "Veritas" since it was shown at the 2007 NCAAs at Auburn Hills, Michigan last March. I finally got the opportunity this weekend. The copy of the DVD I ordered arrived Saturday afternoon. It was well worth the wait. Truth is, it's incredible. Some of you may be skeptical. You've cringed at some truly lame fictional films about amateur wrestling... and you may have sat through some truly amateurish amateur wrestling documentaries that look like they were done on a shoestring and a prayer. "Veritas" is first-class all the way. It looks and sounds like a big-time movie. It's the kind of movie you could show to folks who aren't wrestling fans, and they'll be so inspired, they'll suddenly become fans. The documentary is clear in its storytelling. It quickly sketches out Trenge's first three years of his wrestling career at Lehigh... then explains his situation with detached retinas which force him to compete with custom-tailored eyegoggles. Then the movie takes you behind-the-scenes of Trenge's senior year -- to practices, to matches, to talks with his trainer and his head coach, Greg Strobel. We also get to know Jon's parents and their relationship with their son (with some fun family video to show us Jon as a young wrestler). One of the coolest aspects for me was that, during matches, we can hear comments/instruction from Coach Strobel and from Jon's parents. After "Veritas", I have new appreciation for Greg Strobel as a coach. He's the kind of upstanding guy you'd want coaching and teaching your kids. In other words, two thumbs up for "Veritas" from this amatuer movie reviewer. Mark __________________ Peace www.IntermatWrestle.com http://www.examiner.com/x-7334-Colle...tling-Examiner

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