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Fighting with My Family
(MGM/WWE Studios)
By Lucas Allen
Some people may be turned off by wrestling that is basically “sports theater,” with pro athletes pretending to kill each other for entertainment. But the new movie “Fighting with My Family” should help non-fans open up to the ins and outs of the rigorous experience that it takes to get to the top.
Besides being written and directed by character actor Stephen Merchant, it’s also produced by WWE superstar and blockbuster actor Dwayne Johnson, The Rock, who also appears as himself.
Growing up in Norwich, England, Sara (Florence Pugh) and her brother Zak (Jack Lowden), became part of a wrestling family with their parents Ricky (Nick Frost) and Julia (Lena Heady), who are also promoters. Their big dream is to make it to the WWE alongside all the other legends of the sport. Opportunity soon comes knocking when Sara and Zak are called in to audition to become part of a new lineup. But afterwards, Sara is the only one chosen of the lot and has to leave behind Zak and her parents for training.
Upon arriving in Miami and now named Paige, she quickly finds the regimen under the coaching of Jake Roberts (Vince Vaughn) much more demanding than she anticipated. Worse for her, she doesn’t fit in with the other prettier and bodacious female wrestlers she had to train with.
Back home, Zak finds himself unable to cope with rejection, and it’s affecting his personal life. It soon leads to family drama that threatens their dreams.
The best way to describe this movie is a uniquely odd amalgamation of British comedy and biographical sports drama. It’s like if Monty Python wanted to make a Rocky-type movie without losing some of their famous brand of humor. Yet Merchant managed to create a likable movie where the comedy and drama work well together without causing any bad tonal shift. Thanks to the charm of its British setting along with some of their characters, it makes a very appealing choice for fans of both genres.
This movie isn’t apologetic about using certain sports drama clichés while telling the true story of Paige’s rise to glory. It includes her many struggles with training before an eventual climatic fight in the ring. However, the main character’s likability and her family’s hilarious moments help make it feel refreshing without treading on mediocrity. No matter if you already know how it all goes down or not, you’ll be left cheering through the end.
Both Frost and Headey easily steal the movie giving such natural performances being given the right moments to shine. Pugh does a fine job portraying her character as a humble yet determined young wrestler. Lowden is basically playing a “wet blanket” character meant to move the drama along, which can get grating for some viewers. Vaughn is surprisingly great in a serious role that doesn’t include his unfunny shtick, while Johnson has a good extended cameo.
“Fighting with My Family” brings the right attitude and right amount of heart for its audiences. It’s likable enough that you can watch it once and feel good about yourself for the rest of the day. If it doesn’t make you want to watch wrestling, then nothing will.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: PG-13 (for crude and sexual material, language throughout, some violence and drug content)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.25 Stars (Out of Four)
