Sean Durkin’s The Iron Claw takes hold with a powerfully tragic story and never lets go. Yep, this fact-based re-telling of the Von Erich family is as big of a cinematic gut punch as it gets. And a massive part of its affect can be attributed to the film’s powerhouse acting ensemble, led by a never better Zac Efron. Not only did Efron and his on-screen brothers remarkably transform their bodies to match their real-life counterparts in their prime, but they exude compassion and heart at every turn. You can feel this family’s bond bursting in every scene they are in together. This, of course, makes the many (and I mean many) tragedies that occur hit so hard. The rest of the core cast also came to impress, including Maura Tierney, Lily James and an excellent Holt McCallany as the icy family patriarch. And, if you are going into this film for the pro wrestling component, you won’t be disappointed. For one, the recreation of the 80s era wrestling scene is spot on. Ok, so maybe that Ric Flair depiction is unremarkable, but the rest makes up for it. The production design and costume work are also one big chef’s kiss. You’d swear you were front row in the Dallas Sportatorium smelling the stale popcorn and yelling at the in-ring heels along with the rest of the rabid wrestling fans! Did I mention there also some epic needle drops? Yep, The Iron Claw is one film that delivers on almost every level. Ring the bell, this one’s a knockout!