Jared McMillan // Film Critic
THE IRON CLAW
American pro wrestling has long been described as the male soap opera. Known for the spectacle of athleticism in the ring, matches are used as either a culmination or continuation of stories being told by promoters. The important thing to remember is that storytelling, whether done inside or outside of the ring, is what brings the connection to the sport between the wrestlers and the fans.
This is the heart of Sean Durkin’s new feature, THE IRON CLAW, which focuses on the barrage of tragedies that plagued the Von Erichs, the family behind World Class Championship Wrestling. Durkin uses pro wrestling more as a backdrop than the main attraction to tell their story, with Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron) being the fulcrum behind the rise and fall of the Von Erichs. In fact, one of the opening scenes is a shot of Kevin running the ropes in a wrestling ring, bouncing in and out of focus to set the audience on Kevin’s journey with his brothers.
WCCW is a Dallas-based promotion headed by Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), someone who dedicated his life to pro wrestling only never to get that NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) world title he felt was owed to him. Now running WCCW as owner/promoter, he lives through his sons: Kevin, who is the top star in WCCW; David (Harris Dickinson), who is about to make his debut; Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), an Olympic hopeful in discus; and Mike (Stanley Simons), who is more artistic and less athletic, much to Fritz’s chagrin.
The brothers live on a ranch with Fritz and their mother, Doris (Maura Tierney), who is in the background lingering as a strong, quiet peace that keeps them grounded. We see how they interact, build themselves up, and stick up for each other, such as when Kevin sticks up for Mike when Fritz belittles him for being too small/not bulked enough. However, they still respect and want to do right by their father and succeed for the family. As the film progresses, the Von Erichs will pay the ultimate price as the brothers become victims trying to achieve that success.
In a career-defining performance, Efron uses Durkin’s script to open Kevin to the audience. We first see him as a pro wrestling machine, using his actions to speak more than his words. Once he meets Pamela (Lily James), Kevin becomes more emotional and thoughtful as another perspective helps him realize his humanity. Here, we learn of “the curse of the Von Erichs,” as Kevin tells Pamela he’s the oldest now, but really the second oldest. His older brother Jack had died at six years old, beginning the so-called curse. Are they really cursed, or is it just Fritz adding lore to his family for the good of pro wrestling?
THE IRON CLAW, named after the famous submission hold patented by the Von Erichs, is aptly named for Fritz’s hold on the brothers. Fritz isn’t inherently evil, or even bad, for that matter. He just can’t let go of his failures and has projected his goals onto his progeny. Kevin’s slow realization of this parallels his in-ring career fading as David becomes more popular because he can talk to the audience. Kevin, willing to do what’s best for the family, painfully acquiesces at every turn. What takes place in the Dallas Sportatorium and what happens outside of it is the dichotomy Kevin faces, becoming painfully so as each brother succumbs to their family’s burden while his personal life grows.
Efron’s performance is just the tip of the iceberg in an ensemble that marks one of the best of the year. McCallany uses a stern presence to create an uneasiness as anyone shows a shred of humanity. White leans into Kerry’s recklessness as his star rises higher than anyone else, pushing himself to drug-riddled boundaries the other brothers won’t go to. Simons’ performance as Mike is a breakout as his arc goes from budding musician to being forced into wrestling, ultimately leaving him injured beyond all repair. As tragedy keeps attacking their family, each Von Erich is weathered and tired, struggling to make sense of their events. In one of the most gut-wrenching scenes of the year, Tierney’s Doris struggles with putting on a dress for one of her son’s funerals because she just wore it to bury another son.
It is indicative of the emotional tension that besets the Von Erichs from the first frame of THE IRON CLAW, and that closes in on Kevin as he continues to feel the weight of it all as the years go on. It’s here, in the timeline, that the film gets a little unglued. There are weird time jumps that happen out of left field, and a lot of the Von Erichs’ story gets cut. The youngest brother Chris isn’t mentioned at all, and Mike’s story cuts out a lot of things from his injury. Also, they don’t go into real detail about why they had to sell WCCW, which could’ve given Fritz a little more depth in how he copes with the deaths of his sons. For instance, the infamous fake heart attack after Mike died, and while we see a couple of minutes of Lance Von Erich (played by AEW Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman, who is also executive producer), it doesn’t detail how he was a fake Von Erich.
It’s those little details that Durkin sidesteps to create a better-flowing story but winds up hindering it a bit. However, much of it is because the film isn’t meant to be a WCCW history lesson. Pro wrestling is merely a backdrop to the Von Erichs as a family unit and, therefore, allowed for some liberties to be taken to make the tragedy more palatable for the general audience. Some great cameos will please wrestling fans, but as Kevin shifts his priorities from wrestling to his new family, the story also moves away from wrestling.
Everything outside of the ropes makes THE IRON CLAW so good. The emotional complexity of the situation builds up to the ultimate catharsis for Kevin. Much like the actual sport, the wrestling and showmanship are just driving points to help continue the story between Kevin and Fritz until one last tragedy pushes Kevin to a breaking point. By the end, as Kevin lets his emotions and grief pour out, the audience will grieve with him and recognize the hope he has in his own family. It’s not about getting up from the bumps in the ring but kicking out when life has you pinned down, and that makes for the best stories.
Grade: B+
THE IRON CLAW is now playing in theaters everywhere.
