To those of us who do not follow professional wrestling, it’s often difficult to separate the athletics from the theatrics, and one of the strengths of Sean Durkin’s feature about the real-life Von Erich family, who were stars of the sport from the late 70s to the early 90s, is how it brings these two components together without making a big deal of it. Much of the movie’s drama is derived from one or another of the four Von Erich brothers striving for a championship title, and while my own understanding of what that entails has never been complete—If it’s mostly theater, who and what determines a champion?—the dedication and passion these brothers demonstrate in their quest for glory is impressive, though not necessarily inspiring. For one thing, they are constantly under the pummeling tutelage of their father, Fritz (Holt McCallany), a former wrestler whose own ambitions for the title were cut short. As in all great family sagas, the father channels his hopes and dreams into his sons, who not only honor those wishes but sacrifice themselves to a discipline they may not fully believe in. The reason has less to do with filial piety and more to do with fraternal love. These brawny men will do anything for each other.

The story’s parade of tragedy is truly cinematic in scope. The oldest brother, Kevin (Zach Efron), is the one who most eagerly pursues greatness as a wrestler. He truly loves being in the ring, but he’s willing to sacrifice his legacy if it means his brothers can have their shot. Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) is also into the sport, but he’s less sure of himself and clinically self-destructive. David (Harris Dickinson) is the family’s brain and clown, a born performer who gets off on the attention while not necessarily taking the sport seriously as a sport. And Mike (Stanley Simons) is the sensitive artist who isn’t interested in wrestling at all, but participates in order to prop up the family business—Fritz has his own company, which trains wrestlers and stages matches. (In reality, there was a fifth brother whom Durkin decided to elide from the family portrait.) Over the years, the four brothers are plagued by injury—some horrific—and psychological turmoil, mostly at the hands of their father, but they always have one another. At times, Durkin has trouble developing his story. It’s mostly one triumph or tragedy after another, though as a family saga it has depth thanks to the synergizing energy of the sport. Durkin attempts to do with wrestling what Scorsese did with boxing in Raging Bull—make the visceral aspect of the battles seem fantastical. The fact that the theatrical component is fantastical to begin with only heightens the spectacle on screen.

The real message of the film is that family ties, no matter how strong, can rarely remedy individual flaws. In that regard, the two principal female characters, Von Erich matron Doris (Maura Tierney) and Kevin’s wife, Pam (Lily James), have to shoulder the burden of that hoariest of family saga cliches, the sensible, practical, feminine counterbalance to the overriding male ego, but since the hyper-masculine temperament required by pro wrestlers is here extended by the peculiar macho aesthetic of Texas, the two women really have their work cut out for them. Durkin often gets carried away with the sweep of the saga, but along the way he supplies not only valuable instruction on how pro wrestling works, including the business side, but why so many people just can’t get enough of it. 

Now playing in Tokyo at Toho Cinemas Nihonbashi (050-6868-5060), Toho Cinemas Hibiya (050-6868-5068), Kino Cinema Shinjuku (03-5315-0978), Toho Cinemas Shibuya (050-6868-5002), Toho Cinemas Roppongi Hills (050-6868-5024).

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