The Iron Claw (2023)
The Iron Claw film that shocks, warms, and holds your heart in the palm of your hand. A true story that reveals the genuine connection and love between siblings, a bond that will always be there no matter what, stronger than any others. As an older sister, I can’t tell you how much I sobbed and lost hold of my emotions watching this film; it’s the definition of tragedy, not only for its deaths but also for the societal, claustrophobic gender aspects of the time and sport they were living within. The toxicity when it came to mental health and the way they conveyed their feelings to the people around them. That’s the true tragedy of this story.
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All year and from the second I saw the first shot in the trailer, I was dying to watch this film; honestly, it was my Barbie moment. I was praying for Zac Efron to have one of those rare sweet moments that don’t always appear, where a child actor or an actor with a certain role pinned to them finally shatters their shell with a life-changing performance. Robert Pattinson had it with Twilight and Good Time/The Lighthouse. Zendaya with Shake It Up and now Euphoria. They completely reverse the idea everyone thought of them and finally get the chance to transcend and grow.
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Zac Efron did exactly that; he gave a performance that was truly raw and heart-wrenching, a role which he has attempted in the past but never achieved at the level of this film.
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The rest of the cast is just as powerful, bringing the film from paper to life, a true depiction of brotherhood. They all bring an element of their own. Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, and Stanley Simons have the heart and the lightness of being with your family, the way they are all little boys with one another, but then in their own moments, they show a contrasting rougher edge. Another element of the film which I loved was the subtle reactions and interactions the brothers have between one another, whether it’s behind each other’s backs or with their fathers (who I wanted to punch in the face quite a few times). But it’s these quiet moments that make this feel so true and raw. It’s like the little moments you have with your siblings at a family dinner and someone just said something slightly controversial.
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It’s just an aesthetic to siblings which they captured so accutely during the film, and it made it even more painful when they lose that.
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“I’m not a brother anymore.” BROKE ME! АННН!
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I just want to applaud A24 again… sorry, I know you’re sick of me talking about them.
However, you have to understand the way they get audiences in those seats and stil connected to the film weeks, months, and even years outside of the cinema is just insane. IT IS AMAZING. Even the merch that they make like Saltburn mugs (which is just insane btw) or even rocks with googly eyes are just perfect for the fans who love those films. They make the film timeless from just the moments spent in the cinema, and I can’t explain to you the crazy black hole of YouTube videos I was in after watching The Iron Claw. The facts I found out that made the film even more tragic, LIKE HE HAD ANOTHER BROTHER BUT THEY LEFT HIM OUT OF THE STORY BECAUSE IT WOULD BE WAY TOO SAD FOR THE AUDIENCE. HUH!? Like how do you decide which brother you leave out? A24 just has a way to get their audience in the palm of their hand and wanting more.
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Iron Claw, you broke me, and you will break all audiences, but wow, aren’t you a must-watch movie. Also, thank you for giving me a new move to use on my siblings when we fight… the iron claw!
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What did you guys think of Iron Claw? How much did you cry?
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