The Film Buffa: Zac Efron elevates imperfect yet moving ‘The Iron Claw’

The onetime heartthrob put in the work, and it shows. Does the film match him?

Zac Efron’s most impressive feature are his eyes. They’re charismatic, enigmatic, and soulful all at once. It’s like he can break your heart in multiple ways, something he does in his latest and arguably biggest role. He steps into the tragic and tough shoes of Kevin Von Erich in Sean Durkin’s (The Nest) new film, The Iron Claw.

If you are even a casual wrestling fan, it’s hard to forget about the amazingly unfortunate yet still highly impressive infiltration of the Von Erich family into the world of professional wrestling. It started with Fritz (Holt McCallany, bringing it per usual), but hit a peak with his sons: Kevin, David (Harris Dickinson), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), and Mike (Stanley Simons). All four got into a ring at some point in their life, and only one of them made it to their 34th birthday.

Durkin’s film, which he also wrote, covers 14 years in the family’s tumultuous history-a journey of ups and downs that’s relentless and very watchable. The wrestling scenes are visceral and includes bravura stunt work that pulsates if you see it in a theater. It’s like the blood and sweat get too close for comfort at times.

Efron is the engine that truly ignited the film. Take him away from even a fine ensemble cast, and the movie loses some of its fastball. McCallany and Maura Tierney are terrific as the parents of the fateful group, and Allen White infuses every character with a two way emotional street.

But the film attempts to cover a lot of ground inside a single running time, something its two hour-plus run time struggles to contain by the time the third act hurtles to its conclusion. While it wishes to shine a light on all the brothers and family drama, the lens never strays far from the point of view of Kevin. This is both a good and bad thing.

Efron is the film’s nexus, anchoring all the acts together. The Iron Claw is at its best during his moments because he’s the main focus of the plot. Allen White, Dickinson, and Simons offer compelling support, but they’re never truly fleshed out in their limited screen time.

The end product isn’t a stunner, and doesn’t make me think of Oscar or a heap of awards. There’s a “like but don’t love the whole thing” angle to my criticism. Others may have been floored by the true grit of the Von Erichs; I saw a well-acted but ultimately imperfect specimen.

If it came down to how much clean protein wss consumed and how many weights lifted, The Iron Claw is stellar. The wrestling scenes are first rate. Technically efficient and dressed like a rustic indie darling, the film doesn’t miss a spot on the wall above the kitchen sink it threw. With the exception of a sweet final scene between Kevin and his kids, the third act hits the speed button too often to connect in a deep way emotionally. That had to be the goal.

As it is, Durkin’s film is a commendable effort about a chaotic and possibly cursed wrestling family. It’s hard not to be moved by this true story, one that haunts to this day. The bullseye being missed doesn’t negate the partial impact made on the viewer. A documentary could hit harder.

A24 continues to be an ambitious filmmaking house.