The Iron Claw Is A Masterful Anti-Biopic Of Wrestling Royalty |
This is #CineFile, where our critic Rahul Desai goes beyond the obvious takes, to dissect movies and shows that are in the news |
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| Cast: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Lily James |
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THE IRON CLAW is a sublimely crafted biographical drama of the Von Erich family, the American professional wrestling family responsible for the glory years of the WCWA (World Class Wrestling Association) in the 1980s. The title refers to the signature move of patriarch and WCWA owner Jack “Fritz” Von Erich (Holt McCallany) during his own wrestling days — a skull-crushing submission hold featuring five different points of pressure on the opponent. In context of the story, the title also refers to the mind-crushing hold that Fritz — whose in-ring persona was a pantomime Nazi villain — has over his five very different sons. We see four of them in the film: Kevin (Zac Efron), David (Harris Dickinson), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) and Mike (Stanley Simons).
Texan champ Fritz Von Erich never quite made it to the hallowed halls of national wrestling, so like most domineering fathers, he forces the boys to inherit his incomplete dream. He wants them to be noticed in the ‘big league’ at any cost. His claw digs deep into their flesh and blood — turning the Von Erichs into a tragic embodiment of generational trauma, parental rot, dysfunctional fellowship, sibling rivalry and American showbiz. At times, it resembles a bleak survival thriller, where there can only be one ‘winner’ after years of professional strain, personal setbacks and toxic masculinity. The oldest, Kevin, thinks he is the protagonist, just like Kendall Roy thinks he is the central character of Succession. Ultimately, unlike the show, the film seeks freedom from the fictions of winning and losing. All that’s left is the reality of being. |
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Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha...: What Were They Thinking? |
THE year has barely started and there are multiple problems already. Unemployment poses a problem, people in the country are actively debating about what lies beneath the surface rather than what meets their eyes. But I have a more pressing question to ask: what were the makers of Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya thinking? Specifically, why were they thinking when they made the film they did which is so bizarre and outlandish that ‘I can’t even’ — the non-committal GenZ response to everything — does not even cut it. I can’t even. My disbelief is not even built on the premise which centres on a human being falling in love with a robot. — ISHITA SENGUPTA |
| Bhumi Pednekar's Bhakshak Asks All The Right Questions |
PULKIT’s Bhakshak, the latest film produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, opens with a disclaimer: inspired by certain real events. This line has become a constant appendage to Hindi films of late. Most outings open with this caveat and then use that as a shield — and weapon — to amplify falsehood in the name of fiction. Bhakshak, however, is rooted to such subliminal truth that even without the specific mention at the beginning, its inspiration from real-life incidents is evident and explanatory. Not least because the premise, centred on child abuse in a state-funded NGO, has happened in reality and publicly documented.
— I.S. |
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Aarya Season 3: Sushmita Sen Series Ends With A Whimper |
THE new season of Ram Madhvani’s Aarya, the eight episode series which dropped in two parts, is a special kind of bad. It is the kind of bad that is lazy, indolent and sluggish in approach. It is the kind of bad that relies too much on reputation to make an effort and leans too much on legacy to take risks. In fact, the latest iteration, which is being speculated as the last, unfolds in such a premeditated manner that it almost drifts its way to the finishing line. Needless to say it is a pity. Back in 2020 when it premiered, Aarya was one of the handful of Hindi shows on streaming that not just made a case for longform storytelling but also underlined its potential. — I.S. |
| Lantrani: A Middling Anthology With One Standout Short |
LANTRANI, the new anthology on Zee5, boasts of one of the more interesting rosters in recent times. The filmmakers involved with the project comprise Kaushik Ganguly, a prolific voice from Bengali cinema; Gurvinder Singh, known for his brooding Punjabi language films; and Bhaskar Hazarika, whose 2019 outing Aamis renewed interest in Assamese cinema. They share linguistic differences but that’s not all. All three of them possess distinct narrative styles and their worldbuilding is as different as the worlds they belong to. The middling writing in Lantrani steamrolls their individuality, making one indistinguishable from the other. — I.S. |
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