The Iron Claw (2023)

Directed by Sean Durkin

A true story film based in the early 1980’s on the infamous Von Erich brothers and their journey through tragedy and triumph all while making history in the professional wrestling world. 

Letterboxd Rating: ✰✰✰✰ ½ /5

Letterboxd Statistics (subject to change): Weighted average of 4.11 stars based on 1,037,915 ratings. 

Starring: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simons, and Lily James

The Iron Claw has been on my radar since it came out, and when it was finally released on Netflix this past winter, I could not pass up the opportunity to watch it. What followed was nothing short of a gut wrenching viewing experience, leaving me absolutely devastated. I would describe this movie as a drama-tragedy disguised as a sports biopic, leading viewers like myself who know nothing about the Von Erich family on a road of utter heartbreak. Here is my review: 

I want to start out by stating that The Iron Claw received zero Oscar nominations, which I think is completely ridiculous. It has all the makings of an Oscar favorite; tragic biopic, indie darling (independent and critically acclaimed), and a former child actor giving a knock-out performance. Even though it was massively overlooked by the major organizations like the Oscars and Golden Globes, it was honored by other associations such as the National Board of Review and Chicago Indie Critics Awards. Anyway, getting into the nitty gritty, The Iron Claw uses the world of professional wrestling to explore themes such as grief, family pressure, and the price of inherited expectations. The film largely focuses on the emotional damage that comes with public triumph. The cinematography of The Iron Claw is heavy. Closed framing is used effectively, often acting as a trap for the audience to mirror the pressure being placed on the characters. There is a contrast between the wrestling arenas and their private spaces, as the arenas are surrounded by bright lights and roaring crowds, whereas at home the atmosphere feels muted and suffocating. This definitive contrast highlights the barrier between fame and suffering. This leads me into the score, which is restrained and mournful. Rather than the soundtrack dominating scenes, it sits beneath them unresolved, representative of their grief. The restraint of the music is so important because the story itself is already so intense and tragic, allowing the audience to sit in silence with the characters. A persistent underlying theme throughout The Iron Claw is what I would argue to be fate, as the Von Erich family is stuck in patterns of shattering tragedy, which is noted on throughout the movie as we get a narration from Kevin Von Erich that he has always been told that his family is cursed. The brothers are taught strength, discipline, and mental/physical toughness, but are rarely given space to be emotional or vulnerable. Love can be seen in the family, but shown through things such as control, competition, and near-impossible expectations. Brotherhood is another very important theme in this movie, as it shows how your siblings can be a refuge within destructive environments. 

An emotion to describe how this film made me feel would be heartbreaking. I was in awe of how painfully beautiful this film was. Zac Efron’s performance of Kevin Von Erich is incredible in every single way. I was a blubbering mess by the end of the film, as everything becomes overwhelming not because of shock or timing, but because of the accumulated loss that Kevin is dealt with. The final scene with Zac Efron’s character with his children felt like putting salt on an open wound. Sean Durkin created a film that is emotionally raw and so heavy, while exceeding expectations for a typical sports biopic capable of tugging at your heart strings. I loved this movie so much and recommend it even more. 

Vogue: A Picture of Modern Masculinity's Identity Crisis

Cast of The Iron Claw breaks it down with Director Sean Durkin