Writer/Director: Sean Durkin
Starring: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Holt McCallany
‘Brilliant Biopic’
When discussing the world’s greatest wrestlers, one can’t forget the Von Enrich brothers. Formed during the 1960’s, the Von Enrich was a family of fighter brothers seeking wrestling glory. Raised by a father with raging bull temper, the brothers faced pressure to become wrestlers. Despite rocky family tragedy, the brothers never gave up prosperity. Nothing could stop the family from conquering the million dollar baby world of wrestling. On a personal level, I find the Von Enrich brothers’ bonds relatable. Years ago, I bonded with a brother playing soccer. Having a strong physique of a warrior, my brother enjoyed playing soccer every week. Born to be an athlete, his feet led teams to victory rather than defeat. As charismatic as Jerry Maguire, he was an athlete my family would admire. Unlike ordinary people, he formed bonds with the game of soccer he regarded special. He found enjoyment engaging in a tournament leaving audiences in astonishment. Adopting creed, he sought success in games where he was guaranteed to succeed. On any given Sunday, I was excited to play soccer with a brother affecting life in a huge way. As time came to graduate, I had to separate from a brother I came to appreciate. After he left for university, I missed a brother that shaped my identity. Like the Von Enrich clan’s wrestling, I bonded with my brother over soccer. The Von Enrich family reminds me of my brother that was iconic. Years later, the wrestler family is a reminder of a brother I treasure.
Now, Sean Durkin celebrates the legendary Von Enrich brothers whose wrestling inspired awe in “The Iron Claw”. Inspirational, heartbreaking and powerful, it commemorates wrestlers’ legendary legacies. Durkin pays acknowledgements towards inspirational brothers becoming world-famous wrestlers. Boasting extraordinary production-design, soul-stirring storytelling and phenomenal performances, it’s a breathtaking biopic. Although “The Iron Claw” inspires awe, it’s not flawless. It features unnecessary subplots about wrestlers’ romantic relationships. Nevertheless, it provides exhilarating entertainment for wrestling fans.
Amidst 1980’s Texas, “The Iron Claw” chronicles the Von Enrich family’ journey achieving wrestling glory. Zac Efron embodies Kevin Von Enrich, an athlete following wrestling families. Accompanied by supportive father Fritz (Holt McCallany), Kevin and his brothers endeavor becoming successful wrestlers. However, Kevin’s wrestling dreams are threatened after witnessing brothers in danger. Under parental pressure, Kevin wonders whether he can become a wrestler.
Sean Durkin is fascinated with family tragedies. His debut “Martha Marcy May Marlene” examined a woman’s family trauma. With “The Iron Claw”, however, Durkin crafts his first biopic. It’s the filmmaker’s attempt dramatizing wrestlers, but he succeeds. Evoking David O. Russel’s “The Fighter”, Durkin uses handheld camerawork capturing fighter brothers bonding. Handheld cinematography elevates the scene where Kevin is assisted by his brother in rings. Through handheld cinematography, Durkin captures brotherly bonds in wrestling families. It reignited memories of my bonds with brothers playing soccer. Handheld cameras are tricky. As Sylvester Stallone’s “Creed” suggested, shaky cam elevate boxing movies. Nitesh Tiwari’s “Dangal” proved handheld camerawork elevates Bollywood. However, it works. Alongside cinematographer Matyas Erdely, Durkin commemorates wrestling. Durkin celebrates wrestling, creating theatrical viewing.
If wrestlers don’t attract you towards theaters, however, there’s reasons to see “The Iron Claw”. Accompanied by production-designer James Prince, Durkin recreates real-life wrestling sequences celebrating The Von Enrich family. For instance, real-life games elevate the fight scene. During this sequence, Kevin Von Enrich experiences victorious fights attracting applause from audience. One appreciates production-design recalling Clint Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby”. It reminded me about my reactions of astonishment to my brother’s awe-inspiring skills in his soccer tournament. Staging real-life games is a complicated technique. As Bennet Miller’s “Foxcatcher” demonstrated, sports movies are driven by fake games. However, it succeeds. Furthermore, music is magnificent. Commemorating John G. Avildsen’s “Rocky”, it demonstrates a wrestling family’s rocky catastrophes. Through awe-inspiring production-design, Durkin celebrates families.
Another extraordinary component of “Iron Claw” is storytelling. Amidst thrilling wrestling entertainment, the film finds surprising room for character development. Durkin’s screenwriting strength is demonstrating negative repercussions of stress on wrestlers by silence. In Hollywood, most movies infrequently address negative repercussions influencing athletes’ success. As case in exemplars: Oliver Stone’s “Any Given Sunday” depicted football teams overcoming adversity following coaches’ inspirational speeches on any given Sunday. Fortunately, however, “The Iron Claw” avoids problems. Commemorating Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull”, Durkin successfully employs sequences of silence capturing wrestlers mourning brothers’ absence. Like Jake LaMotta’s silence mourning his brothers’ absence, Kevin Von Enrich grieves deceased brothers. It reminded me about my grief being unable to recover following separation from my brother whose heartwarming presence was a source of relief. Silence is a complicated technique. As Robert Redford’s “Ordinary People” demonstrated, sequences of silence elevate family dramas. Barry Levinson’s “Rain Man” suggested silence enhances mental disabilities movies. Nevertheless, it succeeds. Through storytelling, Durkin demonstrates brothers bonding.
One appreciates astonishing performances.
Zac Efron delivers a career-defining performance as Kevin Von Enrich. An actor known for playing romantic heroes, Efron ventures out of his comfort zone to portray wrestlers in a league of their own. Portraying wrestlers is challenging, but Efron succeeds. This is the actor unlike you’ve ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and unrecognizable in his most demanding role. Celebrating Tom Hardy in Gavin O’Connor’s “Warrior”, Efron embodies a warrior wrestler. With mesmerizing expressions, he captures angst, desperation and resentments of a real-life wrestler. It’s a phenomenal performance.
The supporting cast is superb, sharing brotherly bond. Holt McCallany’s magnificent, demonstrating the acknowledgements of a father putting sons under painful pressures to be world-famous wrestlers. Jeremy Allen White is wonderful, bringing emotion to a son struggling fighting mental health plight. Last, Maura Tierney merits acknowledgements. As a mother, she’s heartbreaking.
Finally, “The Iron Claw” leaves everyone in awe celebrating wrestler families without a flaw. Evoking Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler”, the film celebrates wrestling families. It tackles universal themes including ambition, family and mental health. Viewers aren’t required to be familiar with wrestling to appreciate it. It delivers an all-encompassing message engaging everyone impacted by brotherly bonds at an early age. Therefore, “The Iron Claw” is a wrestler everyone will adore.
Despite its universal message, however, “The Iron Claw” can’t do justice to legendary wrestling families. Durkin’s decisions integrating romantic subplots is admirable but doesn’t succeed. Therefore, scenes highlighting Kevin Von Enrich’s romantic affairs aren’t as engaging as wrestling careers. Whereas romantic subplots elevated Ron Howard’s “Cinderella Man”, it clashes with this movie. As Cameron Crowe’s “Jerry Maguire” suggested, romantic subplots elevate sports comedies. By highlighting the Von Enrich family’s romantic relationships, the movie can’t demonstrate their hardships. Wrestling biopics are entertaining when focusing on professions rather than romances that aren’t engaging. Consequently, “The Iron Claw” falters.
Nevertheless, fans of wrestling dramas would recognize “The Iron Claw” and so will moviegoers giving acknowledgements towards brothers. A breathtaking biopic, it celebrates brothers that built a wrestling family which was iconic. Nearly 40 years after the Von Enrich brothers saw success in wrestling leaving crowds in awe by acknowledgements of an iron claw, it’s a tender tribute toward a wrestling family stirring people to honor institutionalization brothers without a flaw.
A fantastic tribute to a fighter family which became famous wrestlers building a bond together, it’s a fabulous reminder of brothers that overcame failure securing their family’s prosperous financial future.
Like powerful punches of raging bull boxers, it’s a painful reminder of negative effects abusive parenting had on brothers whose neglectful father destroyed their dreams of being wrestlers that were successful.
If movies can honor renowned wrestling families which overcame rocky adversities, hopefully the story of the Von Enrich brothers inspires people to treasure siblings whose love for sports shaped their identity.
As strong as the Von Enrich family’s love for wrestling, it has motivated me to celebrate joyous memory of a brother that loved playing games of soccer with whom I developed a long-lasting relationship that scarcely came close to deteriorating.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 