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‘THE IRON CLAW’ Wrestles with Tragedy but Fails to Pin Down Greatness

The Iron Claw, Sean Durkin’s foray into the tumultuous world of the Von Erich wrestling dynasty, made up of multiple generations of wrestling stars and a number of notable title wins, juxtaposes the silly spectacle of wrestling with a profoundly dysfunctional family drama. Starring Zac Efron as much-too-beefy wrestler Kevin Von Erich, this A24 film offers an intriguing, if somewhat limited, look into the larger-than-life spectacle of the wrestling world and the grim reality of a family marred by real life tragedy. Read More

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SIFF ‘23: Daddy-Daughter Dramedy ‘SCRAPPER’ a Delightful Diversion

Georgie (Lola Campbell) is a 12-going-on-30 type, living on her lonesome in her London flat following the death of her mum in Scrappers. When her estranged deadbeat dad (Harris Dickinson) hops the fence and re-enters her life one day, Georgie has to navigate her newfound feelings towards her out-of-the-woodwork parental figure in writer-director Charlotte Regan’s pleasant but lightweight debut. This airy dramedy, clocking in just over 80-minutes, succeeds by virtue of the strong chemistry between its two leads, though there’s not a lot of texture to any of the other characters or character dynamics, making it a somewhat one-dimensional – though pleasant – distraction. What it lacks in narrative complexity, it makes up for in scrappy charm. (B-)

Capsule Review for Seattle International Film Festival 2023.