Growing up as a kid in the South during the 1980s, professional wrestling had a huge impact. But it wasn’t just for knot-headed boys like me. Regional wrestling had fans of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Heck, it was my incredible grandmother who first introduced me to the wonderful world of pro wrestling. The two of us had a ritual. I would walk over to her house on Saturday mornings and together we would sit and watch Mid-South Wrestling. It was a special time.

During the territory days, the television shows, wrestling magazines, and arena cards were dominated by big names like Ric Flair, Harley Race, Junkyard Dog, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and the Fabulous Freebirds (just to name a few). But few were bigger than the Von Erichs, a family of wrestlers originating out of Denton County, Texas. Brothers Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike, and Chris wrestled professionally under the leadership of their father Fritz. Sadly their many accomplishments inside the ring are often overshadowed by the personal tragedies that followed their famous family.

Sean Durkin writes and directs “The Iron Claw”, a wrenching biographical drama that sets out to share the story of the Von Erichs. Durkin highlights many of the family’s professional achievements and documents their rise in popularity. But his biggest focus is on their lives outside of the ring, namely the tight-knit brotherhood the boys shared and their well-meaning yet self-destructive drive to please their overbearing and demanding father.

If you’re familiar with the true story of the Von Erichs you know “The Iron Claw” won’t be an easy watch. Durkin approaches it with honesty and empathy, palpably manifesting the pressurized father-sons dynamic and then hitting us with the inescapable heart-crushing results. It makes for a devastating family portrait. Yet it’s a story that doesn’t quite feel complete due to the odd omission of Chris Von Erich, the youngest brother who committed suicide in 1991. Durkin has stated Chris was left out because of running time concerns. But it could also have been an act of mercy – sparing us of even more anguish.

“The Iron Claw” is told mostly from the perspective of Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron), the oldest son after the tragic death of his brother Jack Jr. at age 6. Through his eyes we see a family driven and ultimately decimated by a father’s personal war against a wrestling industry that never gave him the respect he felt he deserved. As a wrestler-turned-promoter, Fritz Von Erich (played with unnerving intensity by Holt McCallany) viewed everything through the prism of competition, pitting son against son and grooming them for his own selfish interests.

But Durkin keenly establishes the unbreakable fraternal bond between Kevin and his brothers David (Harris Dickinson), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), and Mike (Stanley Simons). Their in-ring scenes are exquisitely choreographed and shot, often captured in rigorously detailed recreations of old television broadcasts and inside famed venues such as the Sportatorium south of downtown Dallas. When wrestling, the brothers have an electric presence that can energize a crowds (and us). These scenes are rich with nostalgia and loads of fun.

But it’s when they’re navigating the turbulence of their lives outside of the spotlight that their closeness really comes to light. Of course the brunt of that turbulence comes from their embittered father who shows little concern for the consequences of pushing his sons too hard. Fritz is especially tough on Mike who dares to have interests outside of wrestling. Their mother Dottie (Maura Tierney) isn’t much help. She refuses to get involved preferring to stay emotionally detached. So all the brothers really have are each other.

The unfaltering love and devotion they share makes their eventual downward spiral all the more difficult to endure. “Ever since I was a child people said our family was cursed,” Kevin solemnly shares. It’s a thought firmly lodged in the back of his mind and that haunts him more with each devastating gut-punch to his family. There are moments of light, such as Kerry beating Ric Flair (Aaron Dean Eisenberg) for the NWA World Heavyweight Champion and Kevin meeting and falling for a straightforward sweetheart named Pam (Lily James). But in reality they’re doomed by a self-serving father’s iron claw-like grip on his family.

Thankfully Durkin does provide us with a needed emotional release – a cathartic final scene that’s wholeheartedly earned and that offers us a glimmer of hope. It’s a surprisingly tender stroke for Durkin and a fitting cap on his affecting screenplay – one of the year’s best. Equally great is the terrific ensemble cast led by Efron who has never been better. He physically bulks up for the part, almost to the point of being unrecognizable. But it’s his artlessness and heartfelt sincerity that imbues the performance with such authenticity and texture.

You don’t have to love professional wrestling to be enthralled with “The Iron Claw”. But that’s not to say old-school fans won’t love the numerous name drops and cool callbacks (Durkin has really done his homework). At the same time, you can’t put this film in a box with other sports dramas. The heart-rending true story it tells doesn’t allow it. And for that matter neither does Durkin. He has crafted a painfully absorbing feature through both his pen and camera. And even with the aforementioned omission, it’s clear he cares about this story. And the sincerity of his affection resonates in a really big way. “The Iron Claw” hits theaters December 22nd.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS