The Current Cinema: Fighting With My Family (2019)
Directed by Stephen Merchant. Starring Florence Pugh, Jack Lowden, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Dwayne Johnson, Vince Vaughn. Released February 17, 2019. Running time: 108 minutes.
One of the best films about peserverence and believing in yourself, Fighting With My Family is more than just a film about professional wrestling.
Coming from a wrestling family in England, Sariya Knight and her brother got a shot at the WWE. She made it, he didn't. It was his lifelong dream too, and her guilt in generating any kind of success weighs on her to the point where it becomes a bit too daunting. She overcomes it just as he gets over his massive disappointment. Choosing the wrestling name Paige, she eventually reaches her dream.
The film especially comes to life during the training scenes, showing the rigorous sessions that wrestlers must endure daily. And unlike most biographical dramas, the scenes that venture away from wrestling and concentrate on the family and its own challenges and struggles do not seem like tangential narrative distractions, but are organic to the rest of the movie. Much of this is due to the performances by a strong cast, and Stephen Merchant's skilled and knowledgable direction. When Paige confronts her disillusioned brother, lists his formidable accomplishments and says, "just because a large crowd isn't there cheering doesn't make what you've done any less important," the emotional impact is resounding. While of course the film will likely appeal more to wrestling fans because of its content, even those with no connection to wrestling will still be drawn in by the compelling story, fine direction, and impressive performances.
Every film has an anchor, and in this one it is Vince Vaughn, playing a fictional character who guides and trains wrestlers on their way up (in real life there are several coaches for specific areas). Vaughn does a brilliant job of exhibiting his character's sternness in dealing with a lot of emotional kids with dreams, and although he remains stoic when recognizing those who "don't have it" and he has to crush those dreams, his inner sorrow comes through. It is a magnificent performance, and features Vaughn at somewhere near his career best.
The real life Paige is a very charismatic individual with a lot of talent, so kudos to Florence Pugh for capturing that essence in her performance. NicK Frost's performance is typically magnificent as the family patriarch, with Lena Headey and Jack Lowden rounding out the cast of outstanding actors commanding their roles. The family is presented as having their own challenges, but come off as very positive and likable, exhibiting an honesty and a work ethic that is refreshing. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, another co-producer, has a fun cameo.
Stephen Merchant takes an auteurist approach here; writing, directing, and co-producing. Cinematically, it is his vision, and he truly shines as a filmmaker, capturing the emotional impact of his own story and making brilliant choices as to the framing of the sequences and the succession of shots to allow his narrative to flow. The shot of The Rock and Paige talking in the foreground, just after she's been told she'll be fighting for the title on RAW, with Vince Vaughn preoccupied on the phone in the background, is an exceptional example of what film scholars refer to as mise en scène -- how objects are arranged for the best visual impact. Merchant, known for his great work in comedy, exhibits real skill as a filmmaker.
There is a sadness to the real life story in that Paige had to quit active ring competition at the age of 25 due to an injury, remaining with the WWE in a non-wrestling capacity. That isn't in the movie, because it happened after filming was completed. The story in the movie takes us as far as Paige's shocking victory at her WWE RAW debut match, when she defeated A.J. Lee and won the women's title (then called the Diva's championship; a name that was changed due to wrestlers like Paige taking the place of models).
An impressive example of contemporary independent cinema, "Fighting With My Family" is strongly recommended for wrestling fans, but also recommended for anyone who wants to see a truly good movie about the triumph of the human spirit.