‘Fighting with My Family’ a quirky, motivational sports dramedy

Similar in genre to the early Sylvester Stallone films yet minus the painful gore, “Fighting with My Family” is a new kind of wrestling tale that serves almost as a biopic about Saraya Bevis, who is best known by her name in the ring, Paige. 

Played by fresh-faced, critical darling Florence Pugh, Paige, both in the film and in real life, changed the name of the game for women in the WWE by being one of the first ever women to fight for better pay and representation for females in wrestling. But that comes after the movie, of course. 

Loosely a coming-of-age film, “Fighting with My Family” not only has a sole focus on main character Paige, but also on her close-knit, unconventional family that lives and breathes wrestling as well. One miraculous day, Paige and her brother, Zak (played by Jack Lowden of “Dunkirk”), are chosen to travel to America to try out for the WWE. Though both of them are some of the best of the best in wrestling, only Paige is chosen to continue forward. Resentful and heartbroken, Zak travels back to the UK to continue running the family wrestling center. 

Now, a lonely Paige must learn to be a professional wrestler without her family right there to cheer her on. With a cutthroat, merciless coach (played by Vince Vaughn) pushing her to her breaking point both physically and emotionally, Paige soon learns that in order to prove to the world that she is worthy of being taken seriously in the WWE, she must learn to believe in and love herself first. According to Vaughn’s character, “No one is gonna pay to watch a little British girl wrestle.” 

Well, look at the real Paige now.

Witty and somewhat odd in the best way possible, “Fighting with My Family” is a film that anyone who loves sports, especially wrestling, will adore. As someone who doesn’t enjoy sports and definitely doesn’t enjoy watching wrestling, I can whole-heartedly say that this film has something for everyone. The certified fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes of 91 percent and a guaranteed cameo of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the film was truly what drew me to go see it, even though I was very iffy about it. Though I did find the flick kind of slow in the middle, the story about the outcast protagonist and her inseparable family was what kept me intrigued. 

The humor was definitely there, thanks to the always sarcastic Vince Vaughn and a subtly hilarious performance by lead, Florence Pugh, but the film in general had a heart to it and that is what is its main selling point. It is a film that will make audiences feel good and inspired when they are finished watching it and that to me is all a film has to do to be considered “good.”

All in all, anyone who enjoys a funny, tender, and inspiring story will undoubtedly enjoy “Fighting with My Family.” It is safe to say that it will quickly become a hidden gem of the sports genre, but those who make the time to watch it will treasure it forever. If you absolutely despise wrestling though, I definitely would not recommend this film to you unless you are willing to give it a chance for the sweet storyline. But hey, everyone has their own interests and that’s fine. However, Wrestle Mania and WWE fans, hear me out: this is your new favorite movie and you must see it now. I give it a 7.5 out of 10.