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
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.