I saw the Iron Claw. As a wrestling fan, I was very excited to see it. Did I enjoy it? Was I disappointed? I am going to answer both of these questions right now. Welcome to Monday. Here is my review of The Iron Claw, written and directed by Sean Durkin.

The story of the Von Erich family is infamous within the professional wrestling world. From a story point of view, it’s a wonder why the story hasn’t been told theatrically until now. Zac Efron, Harris Dickinson and Jeremy Allen White star as Kevin, David, and Kerry Von Erich respectively. The three Texan brothers follow in their father’s footsteps, Fritz Von Erich (played by Holt McCallany) and become stars within the Texas wrestling scene of the 1980s and 1990s. The story takes place through the perspective of Efron’s character; the last surviving Von Erich today. Efron drew attention in the press due to the drastic physique he acquired to play Kevin. The role was a big ask and had the added pressure of being seen by Efron’s character’s real-life counterpart. Efron carried the story excellently. This being the first dramatic role this writer has seen of his, it is clear that Efron’s Disney Channel days are long behind him.

This writer has yet to see The Bear. I know that can be deemed sacrilegious in some circles. Therefore, I have never seen Jeremy Allen White act until now. Playing arguably the most successful of the Von Erich brothers (Kerry being the only brother to wrestle for the WWF [now WWE]), White’s performance is both heartbreaking and emotional. Some may argue that White (5ft 7in) playing Kerry (6ft 2in) was a bit of a miscasting but White makes up for it when playing the larger-than-life Kerry as a wrestler. It is an excellent performance by White and I think that means I have to go watch The Bear now.

When we talk about miscasting, there is only one thing that comes to mind. To be fair, casting real people is incredibly difficult when the person has such a distinctive look. Ric Flair is considered by wrestling fans to be one of the greatest of all time. He famously has bleach-blond hair. When you cast someone as him, a wig is a must. However, The Iron Claw saw Flair be portrayed by an actor who doesn’t even resemble him in the slightest. Additionally, the wig fitted on this actor is laughably bad. That’s just my opinion.

So, did I enjoy The Iron Claw? Yes, I did. Was I disappointed? I can’t say I was. I would recommend this film to anyone who wants to see the portrayal of a close-knit family who was unfairly stricken with tragedy after tragedy. When asked about Kevin Von Erich’s blessing on the film, Efron said that the most important thing to him was showcasing how much he and his brothers loved each other. I can safely say that this film showcases that through this heart-wrenching true story.

3.5/5