Fighting with My Family

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%. (14/04/2020)

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. (14/08/2020)

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. (22/05/2019)

A young Englishwoman gets a chance to fight her way into the prestigious wrestling organization WWE. She knows she'll have to work very hard for it, but she doesn't count on how much this chance will affect the lives of those closest to her. Stephen Merchant delivers a brisk feel-good biopic from an unusual setting with fun characters and an incredibly fine Florence Pugh in the lead role. You should see Fighting with My Family for her alone. But even the rest is well above average. (18/06/2019)

I was so, so close to giving this film five stars. What annoyed me was the occasional moralizing and melodrama, but that’s about it. Nick Frost was perfect, his character was certainly different from his standard "suit" roles. In fact, the whole Knight family was great. I also think that wrestling was shown in a slightly different light (sure, it's pre-planned, but it's for real) and I was more than happy with the number of funny lines. // "You're a teenager and you're blind. What else are you gonna do today? Listen to porn?" 4*+ (04/08/2019)