Fighting with My Family

It's an excellent and, above all, well-cast comedy, but it can also grab you by the heart. It's impossible not to root for Florence Pugh, Nick Frost is a hundred and twenty percent funny, and Dwayne Johnson is about a thousand times funnier than he was in both Jumanjis combined. I recommend it to everyone, especially those waiting for the next season of GLOW. (08/13/2020)

Surprise of the year? At first glance, Fighting with my Family seemed like an indie festival film that no one will remember after a week, but the unexpectedly very positive reviews and its release in cinemas did the film a lot of good and I left the cinema very satisfied. Florence Pugh, who kick-started her career last year with Outlaw King, is absolutely excellent, her career is going to take off rapidly with the upcoming Midsommar and Little Women. The film deals with the rather novel subject of wrestling and with a socially disadvantaged family who have and can do nothing but wrestle. Everything changes when the son and daughter are invited to a WWE casting. The first act manages dry British black humour with very solid lines. After that the film becomes more of a sports drama, yet very powerful, moving and entertaining. Vince Vaughn is rightly stern as the trainer, and I must say that his progression from an average comedian to a very solid actor was very unexpected, but he already played the captain perfectly in Hacksaw Ridge, his transformation was most striking in Brawl in Cell Block 99, and we'll see what he does in Dragged Across Concrete. The Rock in a smaller role is a delight and there are brief glimpses of wrestling legends. I shed a tear during the finale, so satisfaction. "Dick me dead, and bury me pregnant." 80% (03/19/2019)

On the surface Fighting with My Family is a mediocre biopic set in female wrestling, but it works thanks to a decently written story and the believable performances of Florence Pugh, Nick Frost and The Rock. Thanks to the overbearing parents, the film had a humorous edge that balanced out the ordeal Paige had to go through on her way to her dream goal. In the end, this is a very enjoyable little film! (11/02/2019)

Aside from The Wrestler, no film from this setting had really come to mind until Fighting with My Family came along. I was expecting a pretty over-the-top spectacle, playing up to something more with various crude jokes. But instead, I got a solid family drama where the comedy genre plays a supportive role. Stephen Merchant surprised me with how sensitively he handles the emotional moments while effectively delivering the humorous side. Florence Pugh convincingly played the lead role, and Vince Vaughn, in a supporting role, pleasantly surprised me (why doesn’t this talented actor get more serious roles? He truly has enormous potential). Dwayne Johnson appeared on screen for only a few minutes, but he nailed his portrayal of himself (the moments with him on screen are among the best). Some jokes didn’t land, but overall, most hit the mark, so that also deserves a thumbs up. It probably won’t rank among the best films of the past year, but I definitely acknowledge that the time spent watching Fighting with My Family was worthwhile. It’s an enjoyable watch. I’m giving it 75%. (04/14/2020)

I am not really aware of the number of biopics that appear like the usual biopic but simultaneously feature actors from the given background who actually play themselves. It is a strange combination of reality and filmmaking craft, which is possible because the story is still fairly topical. The authors made great casting choices so the film was a pleasure to watch. Florence Pugh was phenomenal in the leading role and her parents played by Lena Heady and Nick Frost were so amazing that their lines should be put in some Bible of catchphrases. (05/22/2019)