Fighting with My Family (2018) [Blu-ray]
Biography | Comedy | Drama | Sport

Tagline: Based on the Incredible True Story.

Fighting with My Family is a heartwarming comedy based on the incredible true story of WWE Superstar Paige(TM). 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. Paige's journey pushes her to dig deep, fight for her family, and ultimately prove to the world that what makes her different is the very thing that can make her a star.

Storyline: A former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, May 22, 2019 WWE Studios films usually involve guns and blood and musclebound Superstars in the middle of mayhem. The company has certainly released a few lighter films -- Knucklehead and The Resurrection of Gavin Stone amongst them -- but none of the studio's past productions, regardless of categorization, have been as sincere, heartfelt, and downright good as Director Stephen Merchant's (Cemetery Junction) Fighting with My Family. The film tells the true tale of WWE Diva Paige (real name Saraya Knight) whose rise to WWE stardom came swiftly but not without a number physical, emotional, and personal tolls. The film finds a strong balance between drama, heart, and humor and stands a good chance of winning over even fans who couldn't pick a WWE wrestler out of a lineup and would only know what The Rock is cooking if he were to make a guest appearance on the Food Network.

Zak Knight (Jack Lowden) has dreamed of a career in the WWE since age three. He comes from wrestling stock. Wrestling is the family business; his mother Julia (Lena Headey) and father Patrick (Nick Frost) teach the sport and encourage their children to participate. It's not until age 13 that Zak's sister Saraya (Florence Pugh) finds a penchant and a passion for it. When Zak and Saraya's demo tape makes it to WWE, talent scout and NXT trainer Hutch Morgan (Vince Vaughn) tries them out. But only Saraya is given the opportunity. While she, now working under the name "Paige," faces emotional and physical turmoil in the company's U.S.-based training facility, back in the U.K. her brother Zak, a new father, finds himself falling further into depression under the weight of his broken dreams.

The movie's necessary, but unnecessarily drawn out, introduction is its low point. It's nearly thirty minutes before the siblings are standing in front of Hutch and hoping against hope that they are selected to move on to NXT. And it is there that the film begins its paralleling journeys, following the rebranded Paige as she struggles to make it through WWE's rigorous training procedures while back across the Atlantic Zak's struggles with depression and resentment and the realities of life in the shadow of a shattered dream. Paige's story certainly dominates the film, but it may be Zak's that is the most engrossing and ultimately rewarding. Fighting with My Family follows a fairly familiar arc for Paige's story, a formula that incorporates the joys of instant success, the realities and rigors of a new life on the path to a dream, the fall, the reevaluation, and the return. But it is how she must ultimately find strength in a weakened brother and how he must turn towards a new destiny and away from the fallout from failed fate where the movie best works. Paige's story is fun and inspirational, but it's in Zak's struggle to emerge from his personal darkness where the movie shines.

Performances are a strength. Florence Pugh impresses as Paige. She certainly meets the physical demands the part requires but works hard to explore the character depth that drives her but also, perhaps more interestingly, the character depth that stalls her. She creates a complex character for Paige, one who is driven to succeed but sometimes cannot answer why. Even as the character is dropped into a series of familiar situations that challenge her persona, perhaps bordering in dramatic cliché, Pugh maintains a sincere inward focus through every outward action. Jack Lowden is a highlight as Zak, the emotionally scarred brother who allows his life to fall to pieces when he's not chosen to accompany his sister to NXT. The film would benefit from following his journey a little more closely but the actor does receive ample time to develop the inward jealousy and steady fall into a bottomless pit of hopelessness, even with should-be joy beating on his heart's door in practically every scene in which he appears (his involvement in the film's best subplot, teaching a blind boy to wrestle, should be spun off into its own movie). Vince Vaughn is terrific as the drill sergeant-like NXT trainer who turns Zak down and coaches Paige in the life lessons she needs to succeed in WWE, which for her development is more critical than honing her in-ring skills.

Fighting with My Family is not quite perfect, but it is nevertheless a great success of character building and storytelling. It's well acted and Merchant usually finds just the right note for every scene. Universal's Blu-ray is of good all-around quality, delivering high performance video and audio and an honest assortment of extra content. Highly recommended.

[CSW] -3.2- A mix of interesting family and exciting sports drama. The movie has a strong British accent, so we may need closed-captions. You don't need to be a wrestling fan to enjoy this movie. It is based on a true story about a real Saraya-Jade Bevis (ring name Paige) that did become the youngest person to win the Divas Championship, becoming the youngest champion in the title's history at the age of 21. Although I didn't find any of the characters extremely likable all of their performances were excellent. Recommended, even if you aren't a fan of wrestling but It is a must see if you're a fan of Paige.
[V4.5-A4.5] MPEG-4 AVC - No D-Box


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