The Big Picture

• Starring Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White, The Iron Claw depicts the tragic rise and fall of the Von Erich family.
• Efron gives one of the best performances of his career as Kevin Von Erich, emotionally conveying the tension between masculinity and vulnerability.
• Efron's performance shows the importance of empathy and communication.

It’s not entirely surprising that many former professional wrestlers have begun film careers, as the skills are very applicable. Professional wrestling is not simply a physical endurance test, but an art form that requires the development of strong personalities and well-developed characters. However, the pressures of retaining a persona inside the ring can be a challenge, as distinguishing between reality and performance can become quite draining. The A24 wrestling drama The Iron Claw tells the tragic story of the Von Erich family, and how they were met with a series of horrific tragedies.

Set within the intense competition for the World Class Wrestling Championship in the 1980s, The Iron Claw centers on how the patriarch Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany) led his sons Kevin (Zac Efron), David (Harris Dickinson), and Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) to dominate local competitions and create a family empire. Despite the initial traction that their fiery personalities gained, the family was met with continued tragedy, forcing each of the men to live with their internalized demons. Efron’s emotional performance shows how challenging it can be for men to express sincere feelings. While masculinity is too often associated with ignoring one’s vulnerability, Kevin learns that being sensitive takes greater strength than anything he achieves in the ring.

Zac Efron Shows the Pressures of Masculinity in 'The Iron Claw'

While the film takes some creative licenses with real events, The Iron Claw crafts a detail-oriented portrayal of the Von Erich family’s progression by showing the origins of the interpersonal dynamics. It’s established that ever since a young age, Fritz locked his sons into a fierce competition with each other, turning the most minor of tasks into a battle to win his affection. Efron shows the importance of empathy within adolescent development, as Kevin is often willing to remind his brothers that any dispute is all in good fun. Their intense workout regimes and series of athletic competitions may be grueling, but Kevin is able to keep the brothers’ spirits high by emphasizing the importance of their bond. When asked what he wants to do for the rest of his life, Kevin’s response is that he wants to be with his family; this reveals a sincerity to his intentions that can’t always be assumed from his performance in the ring.

Efron leans into the eccentricities of Kevin’s ringside persona, but The Iron Claw shows how challenging it can be to retain a highly aggressive personality. In a critical interaction between Kevin and his future bride Pam Adkisson (Lily James), he compares his success in the ring to a job promotion; while it’s exciting to be granted victory, defeat can be intensely distressing because of how emotionally committed he is to becoming a character. Unfortunately for Kevin, the lines between his two distinct personas become blurred when Fritz continues to stake the family’s reputation on the number of trophies they collect. Efron’s brilliant performance shows how difficult it is for Kevin to get his father to listen. Fritz treats his sons as extensions of his own ego, and not as the individuals that they are.

'The Iron Claw' Shows the Importance of Communication

After David’s shocking death due to enteritis, Efron shows the importance of voicing one’s grief. David had been an active and enthusiastic young man only moments before during Kevin’s wedding, which makes the revelation of his disease even more crushing. The scene in which Fritz discusses the tragedy is haunting because of McCallany’s stern, emotionally opaque characterization. Instead of giving Kevin and Kerry the opportunity to grieve, his thoughts immediately turn to who will fill the void within their wrestling strategy. Efron shows the crippling damage that silence plays. Kevin is forced to lock his feelings away, forcing him to relive David’s death without ever having a proper opportunity to express his sadness.

The Iron Claw does a remarkable job at showing the effects of mental health issues, as Kerry begins to develop depression and self-hatred as a result of his father’s neglectful attitude. Efron shows that aggression is not a proper way to express emotions, as he tries to guide Kerry to seek help after a dispute with Fritz during a family gathering. In one of the film’s most heartbreaking moments, an enraged Kevin attacks Fritz after discovering Kerry’s death. While Efron’s reaction is one of rage, it’s due to the pent-up frustration he feels about his father ignoring Kerry’s evident issues. The real healing is saved for his emotional breakdown in front of Pam; Efron is given room to show Kevin’s sincere fears about being the last of his brothers.

'The Iron Claw's Emotional Ending Features Efron's Greatest Acting

Director Sean Durkin opts for a dreamlike ending for The Iron Claw in which Kevin experiences a vision of himself and his brothers in the afterlife. It’s notable that this premonition doesn’t take place within a ring, but within the childhood home that featured so many happy memories. Efron conveys Kevin’s maturation as he grows to accept the heartbreaking reality of his family legacy. A final scene involving an older Kevin with his family in a ranch in Hawaii gives Efron the opportunity to impress his insights on his young songs. After tearing up, he tells them that it is important to cry. It’s a powerful admission that masculinity doesn’t mean insensitivity, and that restricting one’s expression is not an indication of strength.

While he first broke out as a teen idol in the High School Musical franchise, Efron shows his development as an actor in The Iron Claw. His physical transformation is astounding, but Efron’s greatest virtue is showing the silent battle that wrestlers wage in order to attain respect. Kevin’s journey is one of self-acceptance, and Efron beautifully characterizes why masculinity should be about love, and not ego.

The Iron Claw is available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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