The Iron Claw (2023) Dir: Sean Durkin
Updated: Feb 19
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Being a wrestling fan for well over a decade, I knew that Sean Durkin's A24 produced wrestling drama would be a difficult watch. The story of the Von Erich family is, for the most part, not a happy one. Despite the inevitable heartwrenching story I was about to witness, this was still the most excited I've been for any sort of biopic in a very long time.
It's safe to say that I was not disappointed in the slightest. The film was raw, emotional and full of some truly exemplary acting. Durkin lived up to the ever-increasing standards of A24, and produced a magnificent story. Sure, it helps being a wrestling fan, but there was more than enough plot and character development to feed even the uneducated.
I was thrilled to see some majestic shots and framing, with a special attention drawn to the use of out of focus shots, which I felt were very effective. The film was also one of the best examples of actual wrestling action in television and film, if not the best. The only other standout example I can think of being Darren Aronofsky's 'The Wrestler'.
I am not embarrassed to say I cried at least three separate times, such was the power of both the story and acting. I like the way the story was structured - I realise it is based upon true events, but narratives still need to be well-built and paced, and this one certainly was. The harrowing events hit even harder when you consider the truth behind them, and that's without some of the other devastating events that the film doesn't include.
A lot has been made of the various Oscar snubs this awards season, but I think Zac Efron may actually be the most glaring omition. This was, without a doubt, the best performance of his career. For me, I know a performance is special when I forget that I'm watching an actor, and I was fully engrossed in Efron. He hit emotional beat after emotional beat with a maturity that has perhaps been missing from some of his earlier work.
It is no secret that Jeremy Allen White has exploded in popularity in the last year or two, since his breakout role in The Bear series. I have been a fan of his acting since his days on the American 'Shameless' series, and his acting has only come leaps and bounds since those days. He was superb here, and provided some of the film's most impactful scenes.
Holt McCallany provided the stern face of the Von Erich patriach, and it was some display from the man. I already thought McCallany was underrated before this, and he further illustrated his talent here, with a domineering, unflinching and headstrong persona that reflected the man he was portraying brilliantly.
There were a number of other actors who were absolutely wonderful, but I lack the time to go as in depth on. Lily James once more proved to be the perfect fit for any soft and endearing character, while Stanley Simons was a likable and remarkably sincere presence. Harris Dickinson left another significant impression on one of his films, and Maura Tierney provided some heartbreakingly emotive scenes in the second half of the film.
Overall, I would say this film went above and beyond my expectations in so many ways. I was thrilled by near enough everything I saw - mediocre Ric Flair portrayal aside - and found this to be both hard-hitting and satisfying in one. This has to be the best wrestling film I've seen, and I think it did justice to a complex and devastating family story, full of heavy themes and tough outcomes.
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