The Iron Claw

The Iron Claw Movie Review Rating:

Star Cast: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Holt McCallany, and Lily James

Director: Sean Durkin

What’s Good: The performances coming from a line of promising young actors feel fitting when telling the story of this family of wrestlers

What’s Bad: Some of the setup in the first act seems to be lacking, and some of the events in the last third feel weaker than they should.

Loo Break: The movie could have actually been longer, so there are no breaks in this one, every moment is vital to understanding the characters and where they are going.

Watch or Not?: This is one of the best films of the year in a very low-key way. It might not be spectacular, but it is very, very good in its own way.

Language: English

Available On: Theatrical release

Runtime: 132 Minutes.

User Rating:

The world of biopics is quite a competitive one, as the genre has become the sure shot way to receive awards consideration and tons of prestige, so when a movie like The Iron Claw comes around and makes you feel like it is a biopic whose only objective is to actually tell a story and not serve as an easy road to the Oscars, it makes the movie feel fresh, solid, and actually complete in its earnestness. The Iron Claw might not blow people away, but it will certainly make you cry this holiday season.

The Iron Claw Movie Review: Script Analysis

The Iron Claw focuses from the moment it starts on its characters, in this case, the Von Erich, a family that would end up becoming a dynasty in the world of wrestling. We have seen many similar movies like The Wrestler (2008) and the underrated Warrior (2011). All these films focus on the struggles of being in such a competitive business and how it can take a toll on the personal lives of those who want to make a career in it. The Iron Claw takes this same approach without much fanfare, and this makes the film feel more real and honest about its subject.

Yes, there are a lot of very dramatic scenes, and the third act of the film is not one for the faint of heart, and yet, even while walking through all that darkness, there are many moments of happiness that make the film a cozy enterprise. This feeling of coziness is mostly the result of the trio of actors that compose the core character group. All of them are young actors who are proving themselves in the industry, and their chemistry is amazing.

However, while the movie knows that its core should be the characters and the actors, the script seems to stumble a bit in the beginning by making us wait for the entire trio actually to be together interacting with each other. This is not to say that the first act is bad, not at all, but you wish there could be a bit more material with everyone at the beginning, especially knowing how the third act will develop the characters and their fate.

The film waits a bit too long to introduce and develop some key players, but at the same time, it knows that the character of Kevin, played by Zac Efron, should be our anchor, and the actor does it very well. Maybe if the movie was just 20 minutes longer, it could have done the necessary work with the other characters. The movie still manages to create the proper impact, but the third act could have been so much stronger than it already is.

The Iron Claw Movie Review: Star Performance

Even when the introduction and the development of some of the characters feel lacking, the movie still delivers amazing performances from its actors; Zac Efron especially takes the challenge of being the main character, and he just kills it with a very nuanced and powerful performance playing the quietest of the brothers. Efron has been in the business for a while but is totally underrated. However, Efron’s role in this movie certifies him as one of the most talented actors of his generation, and he is only starting.

Lily James is another great actress who knows how to bring warmth and coziness with just her presence, and those qualities are what is most important about her role here. James’ character, Pam, is a source of comfort and light in the darkness, and her importance becomes very apparent as the movie progresses. Yes, she is still playing the role of the perfect girlfriend, but you wouldn’t want anyone else but James playing that role anyway.