A former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.
I remember the cultural niche occupied by World Wrestling Entertainment. When I was a kid wrestling fans felt very fringe and the whole industry a confusing jumble of false narratives and phony acting. Of course, eleven-year-old me would much rather watch “Digimon” or the next episode of “Power Rangers” so I guess hyperbole wasn’t outside my realm of expertise. It demonstrates something unique and powerful that the world of professional wrestling found a powerful revival in the current day on a global scale. I understand that Saudi Arabia hosted its first Wrestlemania while pro women’s wrestling gained legitimacy in recent years. Shows like “Glow,” the rise of superstars like John Cena or The Rock, and the instantly recognizable brand of WWE always harkens back to sweaty men dressed in tights, screaming at the top of their lungs, spending forty-five minutes cheering and five minutes wrestling. “Fighting with My Family” occupies this unique spot to be both a product of WWE AND a hearty validation/endorsement of the industry as a whole and I couldn’t be happier.
We open on two young kids wrestling over who gets to control the TV. Ricky Knight, played by Nick Frost, pops in and starts coaching the boy. Not to be outdone, Julia Knight, played by none other than Lena Heady, starts coaching the daughter. Meet the Knight family. Your average working class, wrestle-worshipping family, trying to make ends meet together both coaching a younger generation of wrestlers while also throwing title matches of their own together. When Paige, the daughter, not Zak, gets chosen to continue on to train for a shot at WWE-level wrestling the whole family holds their breath in anticipation. Will Paige choke under the pressure? Will Zak lose his shit and unleash the anger of a dying dream? Can Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson potentially show up and play a minor hero at the beginning and end? Some things seem as inevitable as a body slam.
What I find most interesting about this movie as a whole is the bizarre cross-sections of audience this movie appeals to. Wielding British-dry humor and wit on top of the loving family story you almost feel in the theater for a PG-13 teen movie. Add in the fight sequences and showmanship of wrestling, maybe a dash of bro-comedy, some sport training sequences and suddenly this movie isn’t just for families. It leans in for WWE fans, guys who like Vince Vaughan, and people who stumble into the theater looking for a compelling story. It’s a mélange of tones and comedies that I thoroughly enjoyed in the same alternate-universe way I liked seeing The Rock and Vince Vaughan share maybe thirty seconds of screen time. I didn’t know it could happen, but I’m glad I was there when it did.
The camerawork, at times, functioned supremely to tell the story at pace. I will say, in a surprising amount of craftsmanship, the camerawork went above its functionality and drew me away from the story. In one long-ish take, the focus racks from currently-defeated-Paige to a photo of a younger Paige to the posters of her idols on the walls behind her, back to the champion’s belt she drew for herself. In another shot, she languishes alone in her apartment as the sun rises. The cool oranges on the wall contrasted against the brighter blue tone limning her body. Even when the characters wrestle the camera whirls and the cuts sync faster and faster – almost like an action sequenced from your favorite comic book movie. The camera works at its best when it’s savoring a deeply emotional moment or when it’s at a frenzied pitch, but in between those it sinks back down into anonymity.
Carrying the whole team on her back stands Florence Pugh as Paige, the wrestling protagonist. This kind of film works well for actors in her role given that they can carry a wide range of moments to play and several complex emotions. The fact that her castmate, Jack Lowden, is just vulnerable and emotionally complex as her rounds out the film. Lena Heady surprised me by starring across Nick Frost (who I heard never wanted to get into acting, but did it on a lark to help his friend Simon Pegg?). The two can play comedy and tenderness well. Vince Vaughan rounds the whole experience out with his unique brand of tough love, but vulnerability.
In the end, this movie’s surprisingly vulnerable, often feeling like an independent film at times. Languishing in emotion, triumphant in its third act and delivering on every emotional payoff without dragging the plot down too hard. I walked in knowing next to nothing and found myself pleasantly surprised by the work of Stephen Merchant and Dwayne Johnson. Charmed enough to ignore the blatant self-aggrandizing of The Rock (conveniently writing him as the savior or inspiration at key moments never to be seen again.) I commend The Rock for spotting a good story and pairing it with the right director, but I commend Stephen Merchant for making this movie about so much more than wrestling. I’d recommend lots of people go to see the movie and enjoy themselves. I imagine this may convert new generations of WWE fans (and I suspect that’s the goal given the WWE’s financial backing.) I may yet avoid the WWE, but I’d happily watch this movie.
In theaters Friday, February 22nd
