A Texas family wrestling dynasty shatters under the weight of professional aspirations and personal demons. The Iron Claw is based on the real-life story of the Von Erich family, considered royalty in the business of professional wrestling. Led by their taskmaster father, Fritz von Erich, they ruled the Texas-based wrestling scene throughout the ’80s with a combination of athletic physical ability, charisma, and showmanship. Zac Efron stars as the eldest son Kevin Von Erich, with The Bear‘s Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich, joined by Harris Dickinson as David, and Stanley Simons as Mike, with each sibling feeling the pressure of Fritz’s demands to be the best in such a competitive world where being tough was everything. To show even the slightest weakness meant you could lose it all; the fame, the glory, the money, it could all go away in an instant.
The Von Erich’s story is one of deep, unrelenting tragedy, making it quite a challenge for director Sean Durkin. The title comes from the finishing hold employed by Fritz and his sons to defeat their opponents. But the Von Erichs were ultimately defeated by what many came to call the “Von Erich Curse”, which saw all of Fritz’s sons die by one tragedy after another in rapid succession. The only exception was Kevin, and Efron gives the performance of his life as the eldest sibling bears the crushing weight of his beloved brothers’ death, the scrutiny of his still-living father, and professional ruin. Efron and White packed on the muscle to endure the grueling physical toll of being inside the squared circle. But the pounds of muscle also act as a form of armor protecting their characters from the emotional brutality that is their lives.
For Durkin, he makes some choices to lessen the burden on viewers, otherwise The Iron Claw would just be too tragic to endure. This is ultimately a story about the love between brothers, who leaned on one another during their highest moments, but also at their darkest. As someone who grew up on professional wrestling and the Von Erich story in particular, I can tell you that Durkin does this heartbreaking yet hopeful story justice. Whether a fan of pro wrestling or not, The Iron Claw delivers a gut punch that will have you thinking differently about the performers behind the curtain.
A24 releases The Iron Claw into theaters on December 22nd.
