The Iron Claw

December 4th, 2023

MOVIE: THE IRON CLAW

STARRING: ZAC EFRON, JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, HARRIS DICKINSON, MAURA TIERNEY, HOLT MCCALLANY

AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 4 STARS (Out of 4)

When I was 11 years old, WWF (now WWE) wrestling was real, not that I didn’t have a hint that it was all staged, but the theatrics were real to me. What is certain is that the behind-the-scenes stuff, the personal lives of those muscular men, slamming against one another in the ring, was all left in the background. As I got older, what would be revealed is that the behind-the-scenes stuff was more dramatic, but often with a tragic angle. The Iron Claw is a Shakespearean version of a great American Tragedy. Sean Durkin’s film excellently captures how men struggle to break the shells imposed upon them by their fathers. It’s about the male ego, competition, and the heartbreaking story of the Von Erich family, all of it done with a graceful touch to honor their legacy. The Iron Claw is a gripping piece of American cinema.

If you don’t know about the Von Erich family you could easily look at the Wikipedia page and understand the heartbreak that follows. It begins with Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), the patriarch and early legend of wrestling entertainment. He’s the table setter, after dreams of being a football player fell short, he took his competitive drive into the ring. With his wife Doris (Maura Tierney) at his side, along with his 2nd child Kevin, and 3rd David looking up to him, it was the beginning of a wrestling dynasty. The father’s dreams soon became placed upon the children, but as in many tales before, the sins of the father can be a pox. Soon the Von Erich children would become the most successful names in wrestling and that would come with an unhealthy cost.

You might notice that I said Kevin (played wonderfully by Zac Efron) was the second child. The first son passed away from a drowning accident at the age of 6. It’s after this that the Von Erichs seemed to have a curse upon them. Durkin brilliantly debunks any thoughts of curses, showing an organic cycle of male toxicity, hovering over like a cloud of constant stress. Kevin climbs up the ranks, wrestling in Fritz’s Texas wrestling league, then followed by David (Harris Dickinson) who quickly surpasses him in the charisma department. Mike (Stanley Simons) attempts to steer away from the family profession, becoming a musician, but eventually succumbing when opportunities run dry. Then Kerry’s (Jeremy Allen White) Olympic wrestling dreams are dashed by the boycott of the 1980 games in the Soviet Union. Upon his return, he joins the wrestling ranks, surpassing Kevin in many platitudes, but it’s all in hopes of pleasing his father, which comes at a mental and physical toll nobody could ever pay.

What Durkin does so well is that he merges all four children into one entity, while each individual has their unique accomplishments, all four slowly reveal their independent struggles in the process. The major focus is Kevin’s story. His relationship with his eventual wife Pam (Lily James is effortlessly charming), and his longing for a closer relationship with his father, all become an endless cycle of pressure. There is pressure to perform, to be the best, and to do this at the behest of one’s mental health. Through authentic-looking cinematography by Mátyás Erdély, the throwback look of tight yellow trunks, big hair, and greased-up muscles, The Iron Claw is a blast into the past with an enthralling story in the center.

Slowly and surely, the drama veers into the heartbreaking reality of certain Von Erich family members’ fate. Similar to other biopics, The Iron Claw is assisted by costumes and a killer score, but that’s easier said than done. Durkin still allows space for ensemble members to individually shine, especially when the dialogue calls for it. The standout is from Tierney, who impresses in each of her scenes, carrying the weight, the brunt of being the quiet wife, while her husband destroys her children’s mental stamina. That’s why this is a cautionary tale. It’s a story of how not to be a parent. A calling to tell our children that it’s always okay to cry. The Iron Claw slams that home. And wrestling may be fake, but the emotions running through it, those are powerfully real.

THE IRON CLAW IS PLAYING IN THEATERS FRIDAY DECEMBER 22ND, 2023

4 STARS

Written by: Leo Brady
leo@amovieguy.com

Leo Brady