BROTHERS IN ARMS

Wrestling drama that might muscle its way to Oscars…

We’re not sitting on the fence –we predict great things for The Iron Claw

Writer-director Sean Durkin continues his obsession with families (Martha Marcy May Marlene, The Nest) with this biopic of the Von Erich brothers, who became legends in the world of wrestling in the 80s and 90s. A rise-andfall tale of tragic dimensions, The Iron Claw – named after a signature wrestling move – is being tipped as a major awards contender.

While undoubtedly a sports drama that’s pumped with action and refreshingly stripped of clichés, the film is also, says Durkin, much more besides. ‘It’s a family drama, a celebration of brotherhood and wrestling, a look at the trappings of American masculinity, and a story about survival,’ he explains to Total Film. Heck, there’s even a horror-movie tinge, for many felt that the Von Erich family – coach Fritz (Holt McCallany), who was himself a 23-time world champion, and his six sons, including ace wrestlers Kevin (Zac Efron), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) and David (Harris Dickinson) – was cursed. ‘How real is it?’ ponders Durkin. ‘You can not believe in a curse, but if bad things start happening to you, it’s very easy to believe it is real, whether or not you have any mythical or religious beliefs.’

Born in Canada and now based in the US, Durkin grew up in England a huge fan of wrestling, scrutinising every VHS tape and magazine he could get his mitts on. He says that turning his lens on the family is his dream project, and his cast came at it with the same spirit – White put on 40lbs of muscle. Unsurprisingly, then, the film is something of a love letter.

‘In everything I make, I don’t judge my characters,’ says Durkin. ‘So yes, Fritz was hard on them, but most dads in Texas in that era were. And they’re a sporting family and some of the greatest athletes who have ever walked the earth – Fritz included. So yeah, it’s gonna be hard-driving and hard work, and there are side effects to that. But it’s not about sibling rivalry; it’s about camaraderie in that quest for goals.’