FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY
UK, 2019, 108 minutes, Colour.
Florence Pugh, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Jack Lowdon, Dwayne Johnson, Vince Vaughn, Julia Davis, Stephen Merchant.
Directed by Stephen Merchant.
This is a wrestling film. Right from the start, there is no doubt, as we see clips of historical fights, of wrestlers from the past like Hulk Hogan, the fans and massive audiences – and some glimpses of The Rock. If wrestling is not your cup of tea, not your cup of tea at all, this could be the cue for exiting. On the other hand, if there is a bit of curiosity, especially looking at the cast list, it might be best to stay.
This is a very British film, one of those underdog stories, not unlike Rocky by the end of the film. The main setting is Norwich, English provincial life, the focus on the family where both parents were top wrestlers, where dad was a bank robber and spent a lot of time in jail, where they are now run a British World Wrestling Association, training locals, the out of work young, even a blind would-be wrestler. And, mum and dad have two children. So, a particular tone is set, even for the wrestling world – and even for the rest of the film, training camps in Florida and a huge championship bout at Wrestlemania.
Nick Frost is always an amusing actor and here, former bank robber, former wrestler, provincial accent and vocabulary, wrestling world haircut, is an entirely believable dad, Ricky. Lena Headey, who was glamorous in her past roles but learned the ways of good and evil and dominance through many seasons of Game of Thrones, is also convincing as the former champion, Seraya.
But, with the title’s emphasis on family, the focus is on the son of the daughter. Zak has wrestling in his blood, many bouts as he grew up, dream of being a world champion. Dreaming of being world champion is not the goal of his sister until she has about with her brother and beats him. They send tapes of their matches to an American company and receive invitations to audition. With the result, there is a message that those who have that extra spark can succeed while those who haven’t the spark and can’t do – they teach.
Earlier mention of The Rock leads to an appearance by Dwayne Johnson himself, reminding the audience of his talent as a wrestler as well as his talent, which champion wrestlers need, to verbally taunt their opponents to build up an aggressive mood. He is producer of this film – and later makes a very sympathetic appearance, especially getting involved in the tangled phone call with dad who doesn’t believe him and says he is Vin Diesel!
Zak is played by Jack Lowdon who has to play ambitious, angry, resentful because of the success of his sister. The sister, takes the wrestling stage name of Paige, is played by Florence Pugh (still young and who has shown such versatility with Lady Macbeth, The Little Drummer Girl). This is her film, a small Goth-looking British girl mixing it with glamorous American models turned wrestlers, doing her training, wanting to give up (yet, challenged by her brother not to throw away the opportunity), working hard, getting the opportunity to fight the Wrestlemania Champion and… Will she win or not? (A superfluous question!)
And, the manager and trainer with a story of his own is played by a hard and demanding Vince Vaughn.
And who would have thought the tall and gangly Stephen Merchant, comic writer and performer (appearing here are Zak’s father-in-law) would have been so much of a wrestling fan, both writing and directing here.
Wrestling fans (and this film seems to show that there are legions of them) will enjoy this experience. Non-wrestling fans might have to accept those sequences and concentrate on the family.
1. A true story? The photos in the final credits?
2. The appeal, the appeal of wrestling, the response of fans?
3. The title? Wrestling, fighting with, family clashes?
4. Stephen Merchant, writer and director, actor? His interest in wrestling?
5. Norwich, the family home, city scenes, the gym, bars? The scenes from the hill? The contrast with Las Vegas, the training camp in Florida, the beaches? Wrestlemania? The musical score?
6. The introduction, the status of wrestling, stars of wrestling, the bouts, the history? The role of the Rock?
7. The Knight family? Ricky, his appearance, his past career, robbing banks, prison, reforming, love for his wife? Seraya’s, her manner of speaking, the story, relationship with her husband? The two children? The pride? Their involvement in wrestling?
8. British wrestling, Ricki and his company, the career of the parents, Roy and his possibilities but going to jail? The daughter, the bout with her brother, winning, the fire for championship? Her brother’s dreams and hopes?
9. The theme of competitiveness, training, seeming defeat, challenge, winning – echoes of Rocky? And those who cannot do, teach? Zak and his to point disappointment and his destiny?
10. The brother and sister, the tapes, the invitation, the audition, their performance, Zak not picked, his sister picked, her name of Paige? Paige and the background of the witch who defends?
11. Paige and her character, strong minded, her Goth appearance? Her love for the family? Zak, his skills, in the ring, at the gym, his pregnant girlfriend, the meal with her parents, their proper reactions, asking his parents to tone down their manner? Stephen Merchant as the visiting father and his reactions? His proper wife and her later outburst?
12. The family, the gym, their reputation, the company and shares, the bouts, the audiences and fans, British style?
13. Hutch, Vince Vaughn? The auditions, his comments, hard, demanding? Choosing only Paige, his severe words to the others? End of the line? His interactions with Paige, the revelation of his background, his own career, his link with Dwayne Johnson? Paige and her giving up, his challenge to her, the training and exercises? His explanation of Zak’s not going any further? His choosing her for Wrestlemania?
14. Dwayne Johnson, his background, wrestling family, his career, his comic sense – and the repartee between wrestling challengers, the humour, getting the better of others? His meeting with Zak and Paige, the steel, his advice? Paige’s selection, his telling her, and the phone call with her family, her father saying he was Vin Diesel…? The Rock and his career, morphing into Dwayne Johnson?
15. The girls, models, glamorous, the clashes with Paige, the fights and the moves, Hutch demanding that Paige apologise? The severity of the training? The discovery that one had a son, her work? Paige dyeing her hair blonde, trying to mix with the girls? Failure? Her going back to England?
16. Her wanting to give up, the hardships of the training, Christmas, Zak and his disappointment, the severe bout with her in the ring, his telling the truth, going drinking? Her parent’s reaction? To accepting what she wished? Zak challenging her about throwing away opportunities?
17. Return, successful training, bonding with the women?
18. Being chosen for Wrestlemania, her fears, freezing before the bout, Zak and his phone call, encouragement? The reigning champion, spurning Paige, Paige reacting, the crowd on side, the trophy? Memories of the past and their making their own sashes? Her final speech?
19. At home, the fans from the gym, cheering, achievement?
20. The background in Norwich, the youngsters going for training, Zak and his contribution, especially the training of the blind boy and his becoming a wrestler?
21. The final credits, the story as real?
