The Iron Claw - Review: Holding Tight and Never Letting Go

 

For almost as long as cinema has existed, two kinds of films have existed: the “based on a true story” biopic of a person’s life and the inspirational sports movie. And if there’s a type of story that audiences love more than an inspirational sports movie, it's a tragedy. Enter the Von Erich family, a gaggle of professional wrestlers known as one of the pioneers of familial wrestling teams and for the tragedy of their deaths in this tale of “The Iron Claw”. 

The film follows the Von Erichs family, focusing on brothers Kevin, Kerry, David, and Mike, played by Zac Efron (“High School Musical,” “The Greatest Showman”), Jeremy Allen White (“Shameless,” “The Bear”), Harris Dickinson (“Trust,” “The King’s Man”), and Stanley Simons, respectively. Under the tumultuous leadership of their father Jack, played by Holt McCallany (“Lights Out,” “Mindhunter”), they rise through the ranks of professional wrestling, as unfortunate tragedy strikes the family, claiming the lives of multiple members of the family. 

While this is very much an ensemble piece, Efron is the clear lead and star of the show and is better than he has ever been in his career before. He’s magnetic, showcasing the same charisma he’s had since his smile lit up the Disney Channel, but there’s a deeper ability on display. A clear sense of knowing showmanship filters through Kevin, and the pain that Efron is able to mix with moments of pure charm is nothing short of fantastic. His performance is almost too good, as it does end up overshining some of the other excellent actors within the film. 

White and McCallany are truly incredible as well, fiery spouts of rage and temper that play against each other and Efron’s slightly cooler headed personality. Simons is a cold and sad tragedy of a man, and as good as Dickinson is, his lesser runtime makes it harder for him to make as much of an impact as the other brothers. Also, worth highlight are Lily James (“Baby Driver,” “Pam & Tommy”) as Pam, Kevin’s girlfriend and eventual wife and constant source of humor and charm opposite Efron, and Maura Tierney (“The Affair,” “ER”) as Doris Von Erich, the family matriarch and source of constant, quiet emotion and wisdom in the face of the rest of the Von Erich’s emotional storms. 

Writer/director Sean Durkin sets his sports tragedy against a backdrop of hazy 80s honey-glow colors shot by cinematographer Mátyás Erdély (“The Nest,” “The Woman Who Brushed Off Her Tears”), with a rollicking rock soundtrack underneath it all and a musical score by Arcade Fire member Richard Reed Parry. Showcasing the excess of the period and of the family at their height of success helps for the later moments to hit much harder as we watch everything collapse around them. While the elements outside the ring are shot routinely, it's the moments inside that are a real highlight. Everything looks like how a child might imagine being in the wrestling ring and it helps to build up the film’s central theme of showcasing Jack’s desire for perfection and excess and the tole it takes on the family. 

Durkin’s biggest accomplishment with the film is somehow making it both a condemnation of Jack’s actions towards the brothers, while also successfully celebrating their achievements in the ring and the general showmanship of the pre-WWE era of televised, commercialized wrestling. His love of wrestling and this era shines through, and it's a prime example of the concept of “criticize what you love”. It feels so true and authentic, while also making the Von Erichs’ achievements even more monumental against the backdrop of 80s excess and pain. 

“The Iron Claw” latches on to the audience and doesn’t let go. While Efron does steal the show from the rest of the cast almost too much, the film itself is such a powerful example of poisoning fame and excess, set against a display of pure brotherly love. The golden haze set over this 80s sports tragedy is palpable and intense, bringing everything together in a tight grasp of emotion and drama, leaving viewers with tears in their eyes and their fists in the air. 4.5/5