Rent The Iron Claw (2023)

A committed cast & great production values make up for a meandering & average story - The Iron Claw review by TB

Many years ago, I watched Foxcatcher. I had no interest in professional wrestling & knew nothing about the story, instead being drawn to it due to the incredible cast & rave reviews. At its core it was a film about the toxicity of how elite sports can destroy people, whether it is the actual athletes themselves, or the wannabe outcast who has all the wealth but none of the ability, so becomes a destructive parasite.

It was a similar situation with The Iron Claw. Apart from many good reviews, I have always had time for Zac Efron (especially after his staggering & phenomenal performance as Ted Bundy,) plus I was interested in seeing another story of wrestling & it's impact upon a family (like with Foxcatcher, I knew nothing of the Von Erichs.) But whilst there is some really good work here, I never felt truly involved with the story.

Fritz Von Erich was a legend & highly decorated wrestler, although never become world champion, despite repeated attempts to get a title fight. He & his wife have 4 boys who Fritz is determined will one day be not only as successful as him, but each becomes a world champion, effectively living out his dreams through them. The film examines the consequences of this, alongside the "family curse," which repeatedly strikes in horrible & shocking ways.

The main headlines this film attracted were due to Efron's staggering bodily transformation. And I say that very deliberately. Efron was always known for being stacked & choosing roles which showed off his physicality (he even demonstrates this in Dirty Grandpa of all films.) But here, he has pushed himself not only to new heights but also horrific ones: his body super-sized & almost deformed looking, the muscles stretching his skin to breaking point. It is a horrible & deeply unpleasant look, one which absolutely attracted praise for Efron's commitment to the role. And this body becomes the metaphor of the film: Kevin shoulders so much of the pain & dysfunction of the family, alongside repeated dismissiveness & belittling from his father.

The other brothers are well played, Jeremy Allen White taking time out of The Bear's kitchen to become Kerry, the good looking & fiery brother, Harris Dickinson as David, the brash & provocative showman and finally Stanley Simons as Mike, the youngest brother who loves music & is in many ways forced into his father's tunnel vision of the Von Erich's legacy as wrestling legends.

But despite this tragic & at times heartbreaking true story, alongside it's solid performances, it was also in many ways impenetrable for me. I always felt like I was on the outside looking in, never a part of it. Whereas Foxcatcher or even The Wrestler created this incredible & rich environment full of wonderful characters & people you grew to love, I never felt that with The Iron Claw. It was quite a cold film, as formal as the many business transactions & backroom deals we are shown.

There were several profoundly moving scenes & the wrestling montages are shot amazingly well. But for me, the heart & warmth, even in a small way, would have made this a much more gripping film.