By James Caldwell, PWTorch.com assistant editor

Former WWE champion Bret Hart had only heard about "The Wrestler" from colleagues and friends before recently watching Darren Aronofsky's critically-acclaimed film. Now, Hart believes the movie is a "dark misinterpretation" of the wrestling business.

Hart is most concerned about audiences walking away from the movie thinking every story in wrestling has a tragic ending.

"The film isn't so much an exposé of the wrestling business as it really is; rather, it shows us what a lot of people outside the business think it is," Bret wrote in a column published Macleans Magazine in Canada. "I'm uncomfortable that audiences will unconsciously assume every wrestling has-been comes to a tragic end."

Hart, as a former World champ and not a sad former wrestler, says wrestlers will feel embarrassed "by the film's unbalanced portrayal in which there's no respect for our art or our dignity."

In a surprising gesture, Hart also thanked Vince McMahon for creating a mainstream platform for wrestlers to thrive.

"Wrestling has given me a great life and for that I thank Vince McMahon," Hart said. "Vince and I have had major differences, but... it's only fair I give the devil his due, because it's Vince who succeeded in taking pro wrestling out of back alleys and dingy halls like those in the movie and made it marketable, mainstream and just plain fun to watch."

Hart said many wrestlers "swerve off the road" after their careers because they don't know how to live off the road, but not every story goes so far off the given path, such as "The Wrestler" depicts.

"Although the film speaks superbly to the speed bumps all pro wrestlers navigate, I'm happy to report most of us don't swerve off the road quite so severely," he said.

Link: Bret Hart column.

RELATED STORY at PWTorch.com: January Bret Hart interview on what he had heard about the movie.

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