FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY (2019) - Movie Review

Director: Stephen Merchant
Starring: Florence Pugh, Vince Vaughn, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Jack Lowden, Dwayne Johnson
Genre: Biography, Drama, Comedy, Sport
Writer: Stephen Merchant
Runtime: 108 min
Rated: PG-13 for crude and sexual material, language throughout, some violence and drug content
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray (Amazon), DVD (Amazon), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

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Synopsis:

Born into a tight-knit wrestling family, Paige and her brother Zak are ecstatic when they get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try out for WWE. But when only Paige earns a spot in the competitive training program, she must leave her family and face this new, cut-throat world alone. Based on the incredible true story, this heartwarming comedy follows Paige as she proves that what makes her different is the very thing that can make her a star.

Review:

The protagonist of the biopic "Fighting With My Family" is English professional wrestler Saraya Bevis, who is best knwon for performing as a WWE fighter under the ring name Paige. Here are a few quick facts: she was the youngest female champion in WWE history, two-time WWE Divas Champion, the inaugural NXT Women's Champion, and still remains the only woman to hold both a WWE and NXT Women's Championship simultaneously. The film is inspired by the 2012 documentary "The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family".

Written and directed by Stephen Merchant, co-writer and co-director of the British "The Office" and "The Outlaws", the film chronicles Saraya's story from her wrestling beginnings performing alongside her family in Norwich to her selection in the WWE's grueling training program and eventual rise to stardom. Merchant nimbly dodges cliches and the trappings of inspirational sports dramas, and finds the sweetspot between lighthearted comedy and emotional drama, without sacrificing the inspirational aspects of Paige's journey and the appeal of a universal outcast story. Great writing also elevates the movie with colorful and vivid characters, and dialogue that pops.

Florence Pugh carries the movie with a commited performance in the lead role, but the film also showcases a strong supporting cast. Nick Frost and Lena Headey are great as Saraya's parents, while Jack Lowden is compelling as her brother, who undergoes a journey of his own. The family dynamics solidify the film's emotional core without devolving into saccharine sentimentality, which I greatly appreciated. Vince Vaughn, who plays WWE recruiter and coach Hutch Morgan, breaks away from his usual comedic persona to turn in a restrained and engaging performance. Also, Dwayne Johnson makes an appearance playing himself.

The film also provides an interesting peek behind the curtain of the WWE, and what it takes to become a wrestling professional, which will no doubt please the fans, or maybe even make new ones in the process. Of course, some liberties were taken with Paige's real-life story, including her interactions with Johnson, but that sort of thing is par for the course when it comes to biopics.

"Fighting With My Family" doesn't break any new ground, but it's a charming and very well crafted movie that feels like a breath of fresh air in the stuffy genre of biographical sports dramas. It's fun, quirky, energetic and surprisingly uplifting as it captures not only Paige's Cinderella story, but also the powerful effects of sports on community.

SCORE: 8/10