One of the most unexpectedly heartbreaking movies of the year so far comes through the form of Sean Durkin's 'The Iron Claw', a movie based around the Von Erich family, also known as one of the most famous wrestling families of all time.
For a little bit of context, the Von Erich's were a family of seven, heavily dominated by men, that served the wrestling scene in the United States back in the 1980's. The father to 5 boys, Fritz Von Erich, was a semi-famous wrestler back in his day, before infiltrating the sport across his bloodline, which would see all of his children step foot in the ring at one point.
Not only were the Von Erich's famous for their wrestling ability, but the loving group were met with a string of deaths and casualties throughout their family across the 1980's that would lead them to believe in such a thing as a 'Von Erich Curse'. An aspect to the families experience that we see involved a lot within this movie.
In this film, we see Zac Efron take on the role of Kevin Von Erich, the oldest brother of 4, and protagonist of the story. Efron's performance in this movie is just another addition to the growling list, proving that the actor who was once known as being 'just a teen movie star', genuinely can perform in this high-standard roles and prove his doubters wrong.
As a person who has watched Zac Efron's career all the way back from the 'High School Musical' days, I for one am thrilled for the actor that he is transformed into, now able to be taken seriously in these dramatic roles.
But it isn't Efron who deserves all of the plaudits for his performance in this film as the entire cast ensemble all play their individual roles down to perfection. Whether it's Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich, Harris Dickinson as David, or Holt McCallany as Fritz, each performance perfectly encapsulates what you would imagine each family member to be like in real life.
On paper, this is a movie about sport. From the way the film is advertised, to the competitive themes in the movie's storyline and the inspirational training montages, it goes without saying that this film revolves around sport. But if you peel back the layers of this film an dig a little deeper, audiences will find that the film even more so discusses the impact of generational trauma and how toxic masculinity can affect ones mental health.
Although he might not like it, this movie without a doubt frames Fritz Von Erich as the villain of the story, and explains the different ways in which each of his children suffer from his poor parenting. Fritz can't help himself but to inflict the world of wrestling onto his children, whether they like it or not, and this inevitably takes a turn for the worst later on in their lives.
If you are familiar with the story of the Von Erich's and some of the tragedies the family faced throughout their wrestling era, then you will be fully aware of what to expect when watching this movie. However, if you were like me, unaware of who the Von Erich's were, then be prepared to remove your jaw from the floor on various occasions throughout the film's runtime.
Just when you think this movie is a story about sport and how the Von Erich's rose to fame in the late 20th century, you will be swept off of your feet and pulled into what is an emotional rollercoaster of a storyline, destined to produce a tear or two.
Not only is the direction and cinematography in this movie nothing short of impressive, but the screenplay and dialogue are written so well but Durkin that the audience can easily follow the storyline of the family and really feel as though they are a part of it. Which inevitably makes some of the Von Erich tragedies that more painful when they occur.
Overall Rating: 8/10
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