Genre: Biography, drama
The world of professional wrestling has always been one of spectacle, drama, and larger-than-life characters, but behind the bright lights and roaring crowds lie stories of triumph, heartbreak, and resilience.
The story of the Von Erich family embodies all these qualities and the 2023 biographical film The Iron Claw perfectly captures their tragic story.
The film depicts the struggles of wrestling company owner Fritz von Erich (Holt McCallany) and the pressure he puts on his sons to follow in his steps and continue the family success in professional wrestling from 1979 to the early 1990s.
His sons are Kevin (Zac Efron), David (Harris Dickinson), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), and Mike (Stanley Simons), who all pursue a career as professional wrestlers.
The four actors do an incredible job of portraying the close relationship that the brothers shared.
Unfortunately, tragedy strikes the family multiple times, resulting in the death of all the brothers, except Kevin. The film does a good job of highlighting the mental and emotional struggles of each of the boys leading up to their deaths, as well as the grief that surviving family members go through.
The characters make frequent mention of the Von Erich family curse, that alludes to the fact that bad events plague the family, further affirmed by the deaths of the brothers throughout the years.
Efron’s performance is particularly Oscar-worthy. His physical and emotional portrayal is touching and incredibly heart-warming.
Watching him hold it together throughout the film (due to his father’s instructions that boys don’t cry) adds to the poignance, culminating in one of the saddest moments of the film, when he eventually breaks down while watching his own children.
The line, “I used to be a brother, and I’m not a brother anymore,” will leave even the strongest hearts shattered.
While the focus of the film is the father and his sons, the film also allows the women of the family to have their moments of vulnerability. The sadness that their mother, Doris (Maura Tierney) experiences every time she has to bury a son is unbearable to watch. Kevin’s wife Pam (Lily James) struggles to support her husband as he battles through his grief.
The reminder that the film was based on real life events adds a layer of melancholy that will sit with the audience long after the credits have rolled.
In real life, the family consisted of five brothers, but the film only portrays four, a decision made by director Sean Durkin to attempt to lessen the family’s tragedy on screen.
This is a film that explores themes of generational trauma, grief, the pressures to succeed and the ultimate price of fame.
While it is an emotionally triggering film, it is definitely worth watching.
The Iron Claw is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
