I must confess, I’m not a professional wrestling fan. That’s okay. You don’t have to be one to appreciate ‘The Iron Claw.’ The best way to go into this film is to know very little about the subject matter. It is written and directed by Sean Durkin who gave us ‘Martha Marcy May Marlene’ and made Elizabeth Olsen a breakout star. This haunting biopic is about the Von Erich family and their legacy in the gritty world of pro wrestling. This is not a feel-good movie. The performances from all the brothers are exceptional. If you don’t mind an occasional punch in the stomach from this heartbreaking story, I highly recommend putting ‘The Iron Claw’ on your must-see list.
The outstanding cast deserves honorable mention. You must believe in the brothers’ struggle or you don’t have a movie. Each cast member gives it their all. Jeremy Allen White is amazing as Kerry. You see the pressure on his shoulders to bring a championship belt to the family. Holt McCallany is fierce as the harsh patriarch Fritz. The story centers around how tough he is on his sons to be number one in pro wrestling. The other sons are Harris Dickinson as David. He understands the wrestling game of self-promotion. You have Stanley Simons as Mike. He would rather play a guitar with his garage band than be in the ring. And then there is Zac Efron as Kevin. It’s a compelling performance. He prepared for the role with a jacked physique.
Although Kevin is the most likely son to be the first to bring home a championship belt, the sibling rivalry is intense. They all want their father’s acceptance and approval. When Kevin meets his future wife Pam (Lily James), she sees the dual personalities of Kevin. There is the man who wants to do the right thing for his family and there is the loyal son to his father Fritz. I don’t want to give away too many details about what happens to the brothers. That is what makes the story compelling and tragic. What lengths would you go to achieve your father’s dream? Pro wrestling back in the ‘80s was a lot different from the multi-million-dollar industry it is today. The pay was not that lucrative, and it took a dangerous toll on a wrestler’s body.
I was impressed with the wrestling sequences displayed by the actors. You can tell that they went through intense training to prepare for the physical stunts in the ring. There is a scene where President Carter announces the U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics in 1980. This crushes Kerry’s dream of bringing the Olympic gold medal home in the discus. He returns to Texas to join David and Kevin in the ring as the infamous Von Erichs. The heart of ‘The Iron Claw’ is this strong brotherhood. They were a close-knit family but this dynamic became toxic with their overbearing father. He even had the nerve to tell them how he ranked his favorite sons.
‘The Iron Claw’ is a gut-wrenching story about the lengths siblings will go to please the patriarch of the clan. Although I respect the father’s toughness to get the most out of his sons, he sadly goes too far. This sports movie is a cautionary tale. Be careful what you wish for. You might end up getting something you don’t want.
