The Iron Claw [2023] – Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson

The Iron Claw starts slow. But the movie is an in-depth study on how family dynamics affect the psyche of the children all the way to suicide.

Written and directed by Sean Durkin, starring Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White & Harris Dickinson, the movie takes a psychological in-depth look at the inner workings of the Von Erich wrestling family.

To be honest, I found myself flipping off the patriarch of the family multiple times. Holt McCallany plays the obsessed dad who’s projecting all his failures onto his four surviving children and pushing them too far regardless of their own wellbeing. Even after the first one dies, he doesn’t care. He just wants the stupid belt. It’s an incredibly sad story about a disturbed family that projected its twisted view of the world onto its children.

In fact, I went to the theater without watching the trailer. I was excpecting another boring Efron movie. And what I got is just the opposite. If you can get over the first act which is all over the place, Efron’s sincerity, earnestness and resilience ensure viewers continue to care deeply about how Kevin’s story ends. The result is probably one of the best performances of the year.

On the other hand, I’m happy that Jeremy Allen White is finally getting his moment to shine, even as a supporting character. White is a great actor and I can’t wait to see more of him.

In conclusion, the movie’s lesson is simple: Don’t follow blindly, especially if it’s your own family.

Should You Watch It?

Powerfully acted and profoundly sad, The Iron Claw honors its true story with a dramatization whose compassionate exploration of family ties is just as hard-hitting as its action in the wrestling ring. The movie doesn’t shy away from hard truths.

Where Can I Watch It?

The Iron Claw is now playing in theaters.