2024-01-22 06:51:41
The extraordinary life of the American Van Erick family is being adapted into a film starring stars such as Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White. The result is a good drama that doesn’t always take itself seriously. And that’s great
In the 1980s, every wrestling fan in Israel knew who the Van Erick family was. When the time came, the father of the family would switch to the Middle East channel, give the television a few decent hits and move the antenna so that the reception would improve, and let’s hit. On the screen, the brothers David, Kevin and Kerry Van Erick came and went to excite the viewers, at home and around the arena.
What wasn’t there? Kicks in the air, suplexes on the right and left, chairs flying in the air, and of course the iconic move of the Van Erics that sealed every fight: The Iron Claw. At the end of the battles, when the televisions in Israel had already switched to the “verse of the day” mode and the singing of the national anthem, no one imagined that beneath the surface the lives of the Van Erick brothers were not easy at all, even though they corresponded to their worldwide fame.
The father of the three, Fritz van Erich, was a wrestler in his youth. When he failed to get the championship belt under the pretext that the association was preventing it from him, he pushed his children into the ring in the hope that they could bring him the longed-for glory. Most of them could not withstand the physical and mental pressure – they committed suicide or died under unfortunate circumstances. The only one left standing to this day is Kevin Van Erich.
The crazy, powerful and tragic story of the Van Erick family, which is shortened here due to the limitations of the word limit and the attention and concentration of the readers, unfolds on display in the new film from A24 Studios, directed by Sean Durkin, who also wrote the script. The plot of “The Iron Claw” (in English, after the famous move) is loosely based on real events that befell the Van Erick family, from the early 1980s to the early 1990s.
Before getting into the guts of the film, we should first talk about the stressful atmosphere that surrounds it. At first glance, it seems that the Van Erich family was the perfect American family: father, mother and four sons (their older brother died at the age of five), with each one excelling in his field. But as the film progresses, the so-called family scenes turn the stomach, and not visually.
It is the restrained play of the family members that makes the whole situation unpleasant. The ability to move something in the viewer’s heart without getting carried away to unnecessary exaggerations or trying to produce scenes dripping with melodrama as is usually the case in biographical films, is what makes “The Wrestlers” an excellent film. Durkin wrings emotion from viewers in an unforced way that verges on casual.
The ability to move something in the viewer’s heart without getting carried away to unnecessary exaggerations or trying to produce scenes dripping with melodrama as is usually the case in biographical films, is what makes “The Wrestlers” an excellent film. Durkin wrings emotion from viewers in an unforced way that verges on casual
A considerable part of the scenes of “The Wrestlers” creates a tragic, painful and even depressing atmosphere. But Durkin manages to balance them with lighter scenes, interspersed with texts full of grace and light humor. This balance manages to make the film a good drama that doesn’t always take itself seriously, which is great.
The tense atmosphere could not have happened without the good acting performances of the cast. Zac Efron plays Kevin Van Erich (who even came to visit the Holy Land and meet the families of the abductees). Some believe that this is a performance worthy of an Oscar. I don’t want to go that far, although if he wins or is nominated, I won’t raise an eyebrow.
In any case, Efron, with the appearance of a grown man and a slightly childish character on the verge of being stupid, finally steps up here. He manages to shed over himself the thick shell of a second-rate comic actor (with the exception of “Neighbors”, which is not bad at all) and plays a dramatic role in a restrained, gentle and emotional way. It’s hard not to like Kevin Van Erich, both real and on screen.
Alongside Efron is Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Van Eric. White is slowly making his way to the top of Hollywood, thanks to his winning the Golden Globe Award for 2023 for his role in the series “The Bear” and thanks to a new advertisement for Calvin Klein, which includes as few clothes as possible and as many cubes in the stomach as possible. Unlike Ephron, White does not utter long lines and texts during the film.
Precisely as Fritz’s favorite son and the one who won the most titles, White’s dramatic talent is not expressed here as in the excellent “The Bear”. White’s presence is almost imperceptible. Maybe it would have been worthwhile to give weight to Kerry’s unbelievable life story, that after a road accident in which he lost his leg, he continued to compete with a prosthesis(!).
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With all due respect to Witt and Efron, the one who steals the show is the 60-year-old Holt McKinley (“Fight Club”). The little-known actor plays Fritz, the father of the family. As someone who pushed his children into the arena against their will and demanded excellence from them, Fritz is the true tragic figure of the film. Fritz Van Erich, or in his real name Jack Barton Adkisson, sought to build a magnificent wrestling empire. His tough and loving character in her own way is skillfully portrayed by McKinley, whose every moment on screen is worth gold. So if there are voices calling for Efron’s nomination for some kind of award, I would like to nominate McCanley as well.
“The Wrestlers” joins a long line of excellent sports biographies. Durkin succeeds in bringing the crazy story of the Van Erick family to the big screen in a film that may not be perfect, but it’s done right. He manages to balance the scenes with well-written characters, and not make him overly depressing, despite the tragedy he carries with him. He doesn’t make concessions to anyone, and unlike other films in the genre, he doesn’t raise his object on the miracle of the “greatest personality in the world.” This is a modest film about a larger-than-life family.
the wrestlers
Directed by: Sean Durkin
132 minutes; United States, 2023
4.5 stars
#wrestlers #tragic #story #largerthanlife #family