The Iron Claw will make you sob

The cult classic is something that has a different meaning depending on the viewer.

To some, it may represent a niche genre, to others it may represent a film that was forgotten at the box office or awards ceremonies, and to others, it may simply be a film they caught on TV one time and it developed a significant fandom via word of mouth.

The Iron Claw fits the bill as the first cult classic of the decade and will most likely gain a reputation like The Shawshank Redemption or Zodiac – ignored at the time, critically lauded in years to come.

Telling the heartbreaking true story of the Von Erich family, The Iron Claw is a devastating portrayal of family legacy and generational trauma. 

So much of the power of The Iron Claw comes from the film being heartbreaking regardless if you know the true story of the Von Erich family or have never heard of them.

The Von Erich family were the brightest stars in wrestling in the early 1980s, with the three brothers taking on the world under the stern gaze of their father.

While wrestling is a part of the film’s narrative, it isn’t the driving factor; the engine of the film is trying to escape from the shadow of a family curse.

The Iron Claw boasts a terrific cast, led by former Disney teen idol Zac Efron.

The Iron Claw invites comparisons to Darren Aronofsky’s 2008 film The Wrestler, as it also starred a former young hot thing (Mickey Rourke) who proved his critics wrong and showed he had an all-timer performance in him.

While Efron turning in a dramatic performance isn’t as novel as it once was, there is so much pathos in his performance that it makes you sit up and take notice. 

In the latter stretch of the film, after the family tragedy piles up, the entire film rests on his shoulders and he gives one of the best depictions of grief in cinema since Casey Affleck in Manchester By The Sea.

While Affleck won the Oscar that year, Efron (and indeed, the film as a whole) were snubbed by the Oscars this year, but as mentioned up top, Efron’s performance will go a long way in securing this film’s legacy as a cult classic.

Jeremy Allen White, who is white-hot thanks to the success of The Bear and English actor Harris Dickinson are every part Efron’s equal as they make up the Von Erich clan, and their heartfelt, soulful performances lend the film a tremendous amount of weight.

Efron, White and Dickinson are thoroughly believable as brothers, which makes the tragedy scenes gut-wrenching to watch.

The great Holt McCallany, one of those actors you see in a million things but can never quite place, gives a towering performance as the patriarch of the Von Erich family.

Lily James, ever reliable and always a delight, is the emotional centre of the film and serves as the audience surrogate; we are merely observing how this family is tearing itself apart and we are equally powerless to break the cycle.

It would be lazy to compare The Iron Claw to Succession because it just happens to feature family dynamics and sibling rivalry, but The Iron Claw is a lot more subtle and nuanced than it lets on.

Underneath the bravado, the constant showmanship and razzmatazz, there is a portrait of a family that struggles under the weight of expectation. 

In the more quiet moments, when the screaming stops, there is a soul to The Iron Claw.

When we hear that all the family wants is to be normal and without this curse hanging over them, the tears start flowing.

Sean Durkin serves as the film’s writer and director, and he deserves just as much praise as the cast.

A film can have the greatest actors in the world, but it means nothing if it doesn’t have a good script.

Durkin broke out in Sundance in 2011 with the drama Martha Marcy May Marlene, and The Iron Claw is a reminder of just how talented he is. 

Durkin isn’t as prolific as his contemporaries, he has only made three films in 13 years, but like Jonathan Glazer and The Zone Of Interest, a new film by these directors makes you sit up and take notice.

It is something of a shame this film was released in a competitive Oscar season and a crowded box office; in another world, this would be the film on everyone’s lips.

There is every chance this film ends up with a major half-life and will appear on lists of people’s favourite films for years to come or the go-to answer for the film that makes you sob.

With the film releasing around Valentine’s Day, it is the perfect chance to show your other half your sensitive side – but don’t say that we didn’t warn you!