It’s a really good time to be a professional wrestling fan who also loves movies. As Hollywood begins to realize that there are some great fictional and real-life stories to emerge from the squared circle, The Iron Claw arrives to shake up the awards season with the tragic tale of the doomed Von Erich wrestling family.
Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White lead The Iron Claw as brothers Kevin Von Erich and Kerry Von Erich. The Von Erichs are basically professional wrestling royalty based out of Texas, and in the ’80s and ’90s they went toe-to-toe with the WWF. But the family, led by patriarch and brutal ex-wrestler Fritz Von Erich, met with a series of tragedies that shook the brotherhood to its core and led to stories that they had been cursed.
There’s some buzz out there for Efron to earn his first Oscar nomination for his performance in The Iron Claw. Certainly, he bulked up big time to face the rigors of the ring. He’s not alone. The entire cast is fantastic, including White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simons, Holt McCallany, Maura Tierney, and Lily James.
The film was written and directed by Sean Durkin, who has explored family in different forms with Martha Marcy May Marlene and The Nest.
I had the overwhelming pleasure to attend the world premiere a few weeks ago in Dallas, and was blown away by the film, the critical eye it casts on pro wrestling, and its focus on the bond between brothers. It’s a tough watch, though, and will leave you exhausted from the misfortune they endure.
Here’s the synopsis: The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.
The Iron Claw opens in theaters on December 22nd.
