Netflix And Chill: Fighting With My Family (2019)

I first saw Fighting With My Family in the same few weeks that I also saw both Lady Macbeth and Midsommar, and the first thing to note about the film is that Florence Pugh is a chameleonic star. Watch all of the movies mentioned here, as well as the excellent Little Women, and you could easily be convinced that her roles are being portrayed by multiple different actresses.

There are spoilers ahead, I guess, although this is all stuff that will probably already be known to someone familiar with the main character.

Tweaked and made into something more obviously entertaining and enjoyable, Fighting With My Family is, essentially, the tale of how a young girl with a wrestling family turned herself into Paige, a WWE superstar who made her way through the NXT development program and became the youngest champion when she won the Divas Championship at 21.

Written and directed by Stephen Merchant, this is your typical tale of an underdog making good, someone who has trained hard all their life, but not been trained in the way to make themselves into a more sellable product when the big chance comes along. It's about family, as the title suggests, it's about not losing sight of the end goal as you chase your dream, and it's a reminder that, for all of the acting and showmanship on display, wrestling is a tough gig that takes a massive toll on mind and body as people aim to make the most of their peak years in the business. Merchant does an excellent job, even if he's not taking any risks with the way executes the material, and he clearly conveys what he responded to in the documentary that gave inspired this fictionalised depiction of an inspiring and heart-warming life story. You're not here for big surprises, you're here to smile and enjoy the journey on the way to a familiar and comfortable final destination.

Mixing athleticism, insulting face offs not entirely unlike rap battles, and some glitz and glamour, Paige is shown to be unprepared for everything else that goes along with the wrestling. She wrestles, that's what her main strength is, but she needs support to turn herself into the whole package. That comes from her trainer (played by Vince Vaughn), her brother (Jack Lowden), and the other women who are on the same journey through the NXT program.

Pugh is excellent in the lead role, just as believable and appealing as she has been in every other role I have seen her take on. And it would be easy to make a mis-step here, either get the attitude wrong or just not seem physically capable in the role, but you never doubt her strength and character, helped by the way the script is constructed, and the supporting cast around her. Vaughn has more fun in his role than he has had in a number of years, reminding you of what you like about him when he's given roles that suit his style. Lowden is equally great as the older brother with all of the heart and not enough of the star quality that the WWE was looking for. Nick Frost and Lena Headey are consistently hilarious as parents prone to blurt out the most inappropriate statements, in between selfish attempts to make the most of their daughter's success, and it's worth mentioning Ellie Gonsalves, Aqueela Zoll, and Kim Matula, playing three women who come into wrestling from the world of modelling and cheerleading. And you get some limited, but quality, screentime for Dwayne Johnson. Of course.

You may think you will hate this, especially if you have no interest in wrestling, but it's a perfectly enjoyable feelgood sports film, hitting a lot of familiar beats in a tale that is ultimately worth telling, especially for anyone chasing a dream they are told again and again is unattainable.

8/10

You can buy the movie here.
Americans can buy it here.