Minutes into The Iron Claw, I eagerly awaited to see what was to be Zac Efron’s transformation into a professional wrestling sensation.
It’s the early 1980s in suburban Texas and Efron’s incredibly buff muscular frame enters the camera. He heaves himself out of bed. He dons a mullet and glistening rock-hard abs. He tells the tale of the burden that his family is cursed.
The world of professional wrestling entertainment is exciting. These larger-than-life characters enter the ring with their beefy, ripped bodies and dazzling outfits. They lift and plow each other into the air and make the crowd roar or boo. With a pretense for showmanship and athleticism, the sport is dazzling, exciting and intoxicating all the same.
The Iron Claw follows the true story of the Von Erich brothers, who made history as local Texans wrestling on the big stage, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach. Head patriarch Fritz Von Erich led five of his sons — Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris — into the ring in the Lonestar state, leading to a series of events that would plague them as the “Von Erich curse”.
The way The Iron Claw showcases the performance and showmanship of wrestling is phenomenal. The colors, the fashion, the sequined jackets and cowboy hats and boots truly dazzle.
Zac Efron plays Kevin Von Erich, the eldest brother and true family man and wrestler who deserves every chance to be at the top of his game. As his father often plays favorites to his sons, the sheer amount of tension and competitiveness among the brothers builds as they never quite feel “good enough” for their father and often sacrifice more and more, oftentimes without knowing when to stop. But, there’s never any bad blood between the brothers. Rather, the love and care they have for each other, while Efron’s Kevin is supportive and helps train and aid his brothers, is a true testament to their characters. It’s then that we realize the only monster here is their father.
Efron’s physical transformation coupled with the level of heart and authenticity he was able to inform the film’s tougher moments was truly beautiful to see. He carries the film through and through and honors its sense of brotherhood. His all-American stud-like looks and charisma help, surely, but the amount of grit and maturity he’s able to portray truly benefit his performance as he gives us a character that is compelling, convincing and familiar.
As a collective, the four actors are exceptional. The natural chemistry amongst Kevin (Efron), David (Harris Dickinson), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) and Mike (Stanley Simon) is felt, as they imbue their brotherly bond with a sense of warmth and sincerity that holds true against their father’s harsh parenting. White’s moody presence and Dickinson’s playfulness and tall stature are a delight to see against Efron’s more stoic performance. And, in the ring, the trio move with such a beautiful harmony as the camera swoops and sways overhead, capturing their mastery and synchronization like a choreographed dance.
This film surely isn’t afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve. It’s sad, emotional, and heartbreaking. There’s even an imagined moment on a boat where the brothers are reunited that provoked me to tears.
But even amongst the burly bods and astonishing physicality, the amount of vulnerability and heart that Efron portrays blows us out of the water. His heartthrob and frat-boy typecasts are thrown out the window as we witness a genuine, vulnerable and incredibly transformative performance from Efron that deserves all the recognition. (Him being snubbed out of awards recognition is its own story.)
Although The Iron Claw is a film about wrestling, brotherhood and burden, it proves itself a powerful ensemble piece carried by Efron’s genuine knack to support his brothers and co-stars, through and through.
And what for toxic masculinity? In a time where access to better means of coping was hard to reach, this film reveals the power that lies in true support, openness and vulnerability — something the brothers had so desperately sought to find in and within each other.
Efron also delivers a line towards the end of the movie that could very well be one of the most heartbreaking lines ever said in cinematic history. For that line and moment alone makes one of his career bests. This film, ultimately, is a gut-wrenching suplex to the heart, but so worth it. The amount of heart, talent and show-stopping dynamics shown onscreen is a feat in and of itself.
If you’re keen to watching these heartthrobs step into their roles, view this promo the boys did for Entertainment Weekly, below:
beauty within 