Talk about a gut punch of a movie. As a pro wrestling fan, I’ve known of the tragedy of the Von Erich family for years. However, while I know of the circumstances around each of the brothers, I was only familiar with the one brother who made it to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now World Wrestling Entertainment – WWE). Kerry Von Erich had a two-year run as The Texas Tornado in the early 90s. His time in WWF was when I was getting into pro wrestling, and The Texas Tornado was one of my favorites. A biopic about the Von Erich family had been in talks for years before Sean Durkin’s (The Nest, Martha Marcy May Marlene) The Iron Claw came about. I’ve read pre-screener reviews about how emotionally devastating this movie was for months. While I felt prepared for my watch, I left feeling wrecked. What a masterful feat.
Zac Efron’s career-defining performance (Neighbors, The Greatest Showman) singlehandedly takes a very good movie and makes it great. His sadness, insecurity, and need to please are present from the first time we meet him to the moment we leave him. Efron portrays Kevin, the Von Erich brother, who, with the most screentime, effectively serves as our lead.
Here’s a quick backstory on the Von Erich sons. There are six in total. Jack is the oldest, but he died when he was seven years old after being electrocuted by a live wire. Kevin, the second oldest, becomes the de facto oldest brother. The youngest brother, Chris, was not included in the film, nor was he referenced. Durkin stated that this was one of the most difficult decisions he made but felt that he needed to devote more time to the other brothers in his attempt to give his best version of his movie. There was also some repetition between this character and his story. For our story, there was no Chris. For a reference perspective, as you read this review before or after viewing The Iron Claw, know that Chris’s story was just as tragic as that of his brothers. However, leaving an entire brother out of a movie that revolved around brotherhood suggests that this film could have also worked as a miniseries. It was not the only time I thought the story could have worked better as a series.
David Von Erich (Harris Dickinson – Triangle of Sadness, Where the Crawdads Sing) is the charismatic brother who is the best of the brothers on the microphone. Closest in age to Kevin, the two are natural rivals, but in all the right ways. Upon meeting Kevin and David, we see that Kevin is more committed to his craft than David is, but that his younger brother’s innate skill both inside and outside of the ring more than compensates for what sometimes can be a sense of laziness. David feels guilty about getting opportunities, feuds, and title shots that Kevin should be getting as the older brother while becoming the face of the Von Erich family. While there is a rivalry between the brothers (just as there would be in any field when many candidates are applying for just a few spots, there is never any friction. In a profession built around tension and jealousy, this is nearly nonexistent between the brothers.
Kerry (Jeremy Allen White – FX’s The Bear, Movie 43) is the most gifted all around, but his struggles with substance abuse and lack of coping skills when dealing with stressful issues lead him down dangerous paths of self-destruction. Kerry doesn’t know how to safely come down from a high, which he confides in Kevin. Time after time, we see Kevin’s insight, compassion, and understanding that come with this trait.
Mike (Stanley Simons – Superior, Anglefish) is the youngest. Just as talented as his older brothers, his interests lay outside the profession. He is more into the arts, including playing the guitar and singing in his band. He wrestles because he doesn’t want to look odd and weak in the eyes of Fritz (Holt McCallany –Sully, Three Kings), a first-generation wrestler, current promoter, and father whose dominating parenting style is molded out of the resentment of his disappointing career as a professional wrestler when he was the age of his sons. While domineering and unsympathetic, Fritz is also a realist. Though he has dreams for his boys, he also understands that the hopes and dreams he has for each may remain unfulfilled. But he will only accept complete effort. We know from the start that Mike and Fritz will clash. The brothers’ mother, Doris (Maura Tierney – NBC’s ER, Beautiful Boy), is far more passive. While loving, she remains distant, never challenging or even talking to Fritz about complex issues, despite repeated pleas from Kevin.
The Iron Claw is not a perfect film. It is often difficult to tell when we transition from one period to another. A scene will end, and it is often difficult to know if the next scene takes place the next day or two years in the future. I usually don’t like a caption at the bottom of the screen that tells the time and place when a movie jumps forward in time, but it would have been helpful in this film. When we first meet present-day David, the year is 1978. With my knowledge of The Texas Tornado’s time in the WWF (in 1989) and what I know of him after that, the film should span at least 13 years. In itself, that is fine. However, when it is difficult for us to determine how long it is between various periods, it is even more frustrating when we see or anticipate the advancement of the story and characters, or lack thereof.
This brings me to my other major criticism of the film. We watch as they experience tragedy after tragedy, but we don’t get to see these brothers connect, and, as a result, we are left with a film that doesn’t truly connect with us. Whenever it seems like we are starting to form a connection with these brothers, we cut too quickly to the next part of the story. Efron’s Kevin is the only character that made me feel anything. It’s a testament to the strength of this performance, which I cannot say enough glowing things about. The performances are all fantastic, and while there is undoubtedly a fraternal bond between the brothers, we are not as immersed as we should be. With the elements in place to leave an incredibly impactful impression on us, I find fault in Durkin for not pulling us even deeper into this world. While I felt so invested in this story and this family, I also felt like a young child who might have been asked to leave the room while the adults discussed issues that a young child shouldn’t hear.
Efron gives one of the five best leading actor performances of the year. He won’t earn an Oscar nomination, but he should. His portrayal of Kevin is soft and balanced. He is a guiding force that allows his co-stars to shine in their roles. In a film filled with protagonists, we gravitate most to Kevin. He’s the pulse, the conscience, and who is with us as we experience each setback, heartbreak, and tragedy. Kevin speaks and believes in the “Von Erich Curse” the most, going so far as to change the last name of the firstborn child of his and his wife Pam (Lily James – Darkest Hour, Baby Driver) to Adkisson in an attempt to rid the next generation of the doomed name. James is terrific as Pam, a loving wife, and mother who balances her compassion and understanding of Kevin’s mental illness to supportively tell him of the needs she has for him as a husband and father.
Though his other brothers succumb to their demons, Kevin endures the mental anguish. It’s inaccurate to say that he was stronger than his brothers or that he didn’t have the same mental illness as them. He certainly did, and when Durkin allows it, Efron wears those emotions on his sleeve. In a movie filmed with dread, I felt the closest to an emotional collapse during the times spent with David. Durkin may have been constrained by time and the desire to tell the story from multiple perspectives. I appreciate this ambitious approach, and while it was effective, Efron was so convincing that I wish we had spent most of the movie living exclusively in his head. There will not be five better lead actor performances in 2023. It makes me sad that Efron will not receive the recognition he deserves. However, I feel that this performance will pave the way for future roles, allowing him to explore characters with depth and complexity similar to Kevin’s. I can’t wait to see what project Efron tackles next.
The Iron Claw puts its stamp on the sports biopic map. In a year that’s chock-full of movies based on true stories, The Iron Claw stands out because of its intensity, brutality, and goal of leaving you devastated. This film is far less about wrestling than it is about brotherly bonds.
Plot 9/10
Character Development 9/10
Character Chemistry 9/10
Acting 9.75/10
Screenplay 9/10
Directing 8.5/10
Cinematography 10/10
Sound 9.75/10
Hook and Reel 9.5/10
Universal Relevance 9.5/10
92%
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