Since it follows the great tradition of the underdog story, it's not exactly surprising that Stephen Merchant's Fighting with My Family is something of a crowd-pleaser. It's got heart, some laughs, and an inspirational finale, chronicling the rapid rise of Paige (played with a gritty spirit by Florence Pugh) in the chaotic realm of World Wrestling Entertainment. Saraya Knight (Paige is a stage name) grew up in a wrestling family in Britain, where her parents (Nick Frost and Lena Headey in solid supporting roles) ran a gymnasium for enthusiasts of the sport. Paige's brother, Zak (Dunkirk's Jack Lowden), was always an aspiring wrestling star, but Paige ultimately realized her own talent for the sport along the way. Even though the Knight family enjoys their low-profile gig, the dream is always to make it to WWE.
Paige and Zak get that chance when WWE recruiter Hutch (Vince Vaughn) shows up in town, looking to bring a few stars from the UK to WrestleMania. After going through the rigorous process, Hutch wants only one recruit to come to WWE training in Florida: Paige. Even though her brother is devastated, Paige decides to give it her best for the sake of her wrestling-obsessed family. A challenging road lies ahead, but with a little help from Dwayne Johnson and the support of her beloved parents, Paige finally gets the chance to shine.
Led by rising star Pugh and the steady hand of Merchant, Fighting with My Family deftly applies the classic sports movie template to the world of wrestling, allowing fans to see their sport on the big screen and giving non-fans the chance to understand why WWE has such a devoted following. The strong critical reception is also mostly understandable, as Merchant's second feature blends a sufficient amount of mainstream gloss with a low-key indie aesthetic (the film premiered at Sundance for a reason). It's the rare professional wrestling movie, and it plays off concepts of finding yourself and proving the doubters wrong, allowing a terrific troupe of British actors to take center stage. And best of all, it builds to a satisfying conclusion, sending audiences out on a high note.
At this point, you probably have one question on your mind: what's the catch?
You'd be right to ask that question. In Fighting with My Family, all of the elements are in place, yet there's nothing particularly exciting or novel about the execution. It's an agreeable underdog story, but who wants the word "agreeable" to define a rags-to-riches sports saga? You want to be moved, you want to cheer, you want to be brought to your feet- it's the core draw of this particular sub-genre. But this particular entry is a little too flat, dragging through a second act that meanders around without much focus or purpose. Perhaps more disappointingly, this is a film that adheres to some pretty familiar cliches. I'm not one to try to disprove anyone else's opinions, but after a scene where Paige says something like, "It wasn't my dream, mom, it was yours," I have to admit that I questioned the rave reviews just a little bit.
Still, it's far from a bad experience. The ending is a highlight, even though it feels like a slight payoff for such a long journey. And of course, who doesn't love a good training montage? Yet in the end, it feels like a few ingredients are lacking the necessary kick to make this formula soar. Merchant's film goes through the motions with efficiency and a certain degree of skill, but the ultimate reaction ends up skewing closer towards, "Well, that was nice, I suppose," than "Hell, yeah!"
Does that make it a bad film? Of course not. But in a genre built on rousing thrills and raw emotion, "nice" and "agreeable" feel like a missed opportunity.
THE FINAL GRADE: C+ (6.2/10)
Images courtesy of MGM
Paige and Zak get that chance when WWE recruiter Hutch (Vince Vaughn) shows up in town, looking to bring a few stars from the UK to WrestleMania. After going through the rigorous process, Hutch wants only one recruit to come to WWE training in Florida: Paige. Even though her brother is devastated, Paige decides to give it her best for the sake of her wrestling-obsessed family. A challenging road lies ahead, but with a little help from Dwayne Johnson and the support of her beloved parents, Paige finally gets the chance to shine.
Led by rising star Pugh and the steady hand of Merchant, Fighting with My Family deftly applies the classic sports movie template to the world of wrestling, allowing fans to see their sport on the big screen and giving non-fans the chance to understand why WWE has such a devoted following. The strong critical reception is also mostly understandable, as Merchant's second feature blends a sufficient amount of mainstream gloss with a low-key indie aesthetic (the film premiered at Sundance for a reason). It's the rare professional wrestling movie, and it plays off concepts of finding yourself and proving the doubters wrong, allowing a terrific troupe of British actors to take center stage. And best of all, it builds to a satisfying conclusion, sending audiences out on a high note.
At this point, you probably have one question on your mind: what's the catch?
You'd be right to ask that question. In Fighting with My Family, all of the elements are in place, yet there's nothing particularly exciting or novel about the execution. It's an agreeable underdog story, but who wants the word "agreeable" to define a rags-to-riches sports saga? You want to be moved, you want to cheer, you want to be brought to your feet- it's the core draw of this particular sub-genre. But this particular entry is a little too flat, dragging through a second act that meanders around without much focus or purpose. Perhaps more disappointingly, this is a film that adheres to some pretty familiar cliches. I'm not one to try to disprove anyone else's opinions, but after a scene where Paige says something like, "It wasn't my dream, mom, it was yours," I have to admit that I questioned the rave reviews just a little bit.
Still, it's far from a bad experience. The ending is a highlight, even though it feels like a slight payoff for such a long journey. And of course, who doesn't love a good training montage? Yet in the end, it feels like a few ingredients are lacking the necessary kick to make this formula soar. Merchant's film goes through the motions with efficiency and a certain degree of skill, but the ultimate reaction ends up skewing closer towards, "Well, that was nice, I suppose," than "Hell, yeah!"
Does that make it a bad film? Of course not. But in a genre built on rousing thrills and raw emotion, "nice" and "agreeable" feel like a missed opportunity.
THE FINAL GRADE: C+ (6.2/10)
Images courtesy of MGM
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