PIC of the Week – Fighting with My Family
Article series by Ray Schillaci
I try to provide a POTW as a weekly article for TMG. As of late, it’s been growing more difficult due to a writing assignment that is drawing to a close. So, I ask for your patience for not churning these out quick enough.
I’m combining the last week with this week because it’s that damn good of a PIC! If you told me a year ago that I would have such exuberance over a wrestling flick, I would think you don’t know me very well. But, early this year a little sleeper came into town and won audiences’ hearts. Still, I didn’t even give it a chance. Now, it’s arrived on Blu, and looking back, all I could say is “Ye of little faith.” Time to eat my words…
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment presents the feel-good comedy/drama of the year (so far) with Fighting with My Family. For some, having “The Rock”, wrestling, and the smarmy, tough-talking/wise-cracking Vince Vaughn is an instant sale. But, for those of us who have no interest in this kind of slam-bam over-the-top entertainment, the very talented writer/director Stephen Merchant, best known for The Office and HBO’s Hello Ladies, brings to glorious life the true story of Paige, a small town girl from Norwich, England who struggled to become a WWE professional wrestler. But, this is not just Paige’s story, it’s also the story of her family and their unequivocal love for pro-wrestling.
I realize this is going to be a hard sell for some of you. But, think back when many of you had no interest in boxing until a little film came out called Rocky. This film has captured that sweetness and excitement, having you cheer at the screen. Merchant and his cast have us laughing and nearly shedding some tears with the passion that builds ever so naturally.
The casting is near perfection, starting off with one of the most adept funny men in the business, Nick Frost. The larger than life actor captures the outrageous spirit of the patriarch of the family, Rick Knight. Frost has proved himself time and time again at physical comedy alongside his buddy Simon Pegg in, most notably, Shaun of the Dead and the action packed AMC show, Into the Badlands. Rick and his wife Julia have trained their children to wrestle, and to make ends meet, they not only have their kids train prospective wrestlers in their small town, but they put on their own version of Wrestlemania.
Saraya (who will eventually change her name) and her brother Zak “Zodiac” battle each other in the ring which leads them to audition for the WWE. This is Zak’s dream, but Saraya does not share the passion. It’s as if she has done this for her parents, living their dream. Both reach out for success, but only Saraya is chosen, dashing the dreams of her brother, and leaving her with a tremendous weight of guilt on her shoulders, along with a huge sense of responsibility to her family. The combination of her struggles and determination, along with the love of family, and cheering on those who are different, takes this film to a level of entertainment that few sports films ever achieve.
As mentioned, the cast is perfect in its depiction of the family. Lena Headey so well known as the “Bitch” you love to hate, Cersei Lannister from GOT, is nearly unrecognizable as the hard-ass but lovable Julia “Sweet Saraya” Knight. Headey and Frost have a field day as the unconventional married couple/parents. And, Florence Pugh as the goth-like Saraya/Paige is as tough as she is sensitive. You cannot help but root for her as she faces off with the tall leggy models that compete with her. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson lends charm and some good laughs as well while Vince Vaughn toughs it out as the couch with a hidden heart of gold.
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment doesn’t exactly give us a smackdown of a visual with this Blu. But, it serves its purpose with the Wrestlemania scenes really being the near-showstoppers. There is a nice film-like quality persisting that makes the film all the more palatable. Clarity, black levels, and flesh tones are all represented well.
Sound is a far different story here. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 demonstrates great attention to detail. Music, dialogue, and the roar of the crowd is captured beautifully along with every slam on the mat and “oomphs” from collisions of body parts.
The BIG U finally comes through with extras on this presentation. First off, there is both a theatrical cut and a director’s cut. Extras are fully loaded with plenty of affection for its subjects and subject matter. Not only is the “Gag Reel” completely entertaining, but nearly every bonus has something that will hold your interest throughout. Below is the smackdown…
• Deleted & Extended Scenes
• Gag Reel
• A Family’s Passion: A Making Of
• Learning the Moves
• Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Stephen Merchant
• Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Stephen Merchant (Director’s Cut)
There are very few notable films about the world of wrestling. The few that have ingrained themselves in my memory: Foxcatcher sported great performances, but the film was so heavy, a downer, and for many, not worth a rewatch. Aronofsky’s The Wrestler also has brilliant performances and is a near emotionally exhausting experience along with the brilliant 1962 version of Rod Serling’s (yes, Twilight Zone‘s Rod Serling’s) Requiem for a Heavyweight starring Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason, Mickey Rooney, and Julie Harris. If you have not seen this film, I urge you to find it. But, if I had to pick just one, Fighting with My Family would be my go-to film, recommending it to family, friends, and all of you. This one is well worth a purchase.
Lowest Price – $22.96 – Amazon
