It is with great shame that I must admit to being a fan of wrestling. I first discovered the sport in primary school, where we pretended to be our favourite wrestlers in the Royal Rumble or a Steel Cage (aka garden trampoline). I wore out the disc of Survivor Series 2003 and No Way Out 2005, replicating the moves with my action figures in a toy ring. I watched Rey Mysterio fight for the custody of his child Dominik against Eddie Guerrero, before later dedicating his Heavyweight Title win to Eddie after Guerrero’s untimely passing. It was storytelling at its finest. But then, all of a sudden, the opinion on wrestling turned. It was worrying for a boy to play with ‘dolls’ and every match was fake anyway so why watch? It’s sad to have been swayed by what I now realise as toxic masculinity, but since growing up I can appreciate what I truly value about wrestling: Heart-wrenching drama with a sprinkling of self-aware comedy blending the real world and soap operas together. Turns out, this is also an apt description for Fighting With My Family.
Directed and written by Stephen Merchant, Fighting With My Family is Florence Pugh’s first film of 2019 and is quite unlike anything she’s done previously. Based on a true story, Pugh plays Saraya “Paige” Knight, a Norwich-based professional wrestler who’s dream of making it big is slowly becoming a reality after a successful audition with WWE. Yet, the journey towards success is paved with gruelling workouts and nerve-wracking promos that begin to evoke doubts within her. Struggling to fit in with the tall, elegant models and cheerleaders also competing for places, Paige’s homesickness is not helped by her wrestling-obsessed family. With dad Ricky (Nick Frost) trying to boost his own events from her success and Julia (Lena Headey) living vicariously through Paige, she turns to brother Zac (Jack Lowden) for guidance but he seems distant after his own failed audition. Will she be able to persevere and achieve her goal of Diva’s champion?
If this underdog story of a misfit overcoming the odds was all there was to Fighting With My Family, it would be a passable but unmemorable paint-by-numbers biopic. Instead, they balance Paige’s narrative with her brother Zac’s, creating a dual protagonist dynamic. The beats parallel with each other meaning the film ebbs and flows harmoniously, and arguably more people will relate to his crushed dreams than her international success. Pugh and Lowden are also given enough time to flesh out their characters, making them 3-Dimensional and further legitimising the real people they’re based upon. They’re not depicted as faultless people being held back by society or going over-the-top by describing Paige as the best wrestler ever. In fact, they are sometimes presented being quite selfish, wrapped up in their own melodrama as if no one else has problems. These levels of self awareness not only show character development in a more subtle fashion but added layers that kept me invested.
Continuing the film’s depth is the strength of the script with a malleability towards genre. Known for excellent work in British comedy, Merchant could have easily turned this into a childish, laugh-a-minute movie that picks the low hanging fruit already bashing the sports entertainment industry. However, it’s clear that he’s taken the time to understand the product fully and instilled this attitude throughout the cast. Nick Frost’s physical comedy and Vince Vaughn’s sharp barbs are very funny without falling into caricatures, allowing for the genuine dramatic moments to be believable later on. Fighting with my Family also doesn’t lean upon the WWE branding either, with only Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson getting a more distinguished feature. Overall, whilst I may still be embarrassed about watching wrestling, I’m happy to share that I enjoyed this funny, heartfelt flick.