FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY

12A

THE family that dropkicks and piledrives together stays together in writer-director Stephen Merchant’s spandex-clad comedy drama. Inspired by a real-life rags-to-riches fairy tale, Fighting With My Family nelson holds our attention with a winning combination of angst, potty-mouthed humour and sentimentality. Merchant’s film is a conventional underdog story, which traces a predictable path in the razzamatazz world of professional wrestling where musclebound heroes and snarling villains whip crowds into a frenzy with their choreographed acrobatics. A simple, heart-warming story unfolds during the glory days of John Cena and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson under the World Wrestling Entertainment banner. Florence Pugh is instantly likeable as the self-confessed “freak”, who experiences growing pains as she vies to become a supporting player in a multimillion-dollar “soap opera in spandex”.

Patrick Bevis (Nick Frost) turns his back on thieving to establish the World Association of Wrestling (WAW) in Norwich with his wife Julia (Lena Headey).

They fight as Rowdy Ricky Knight and Sweet Saraya and encourage their wrestling-obsessed children Zak (Jack Lowden) and Saraya (Pugh) to resolve differences with a grapple.

Zak and Saraya have their own wrestling alter egos – Zak Zodiac and Britani Knight – and harbour bold ambitions to perform in America.

WWE trainer Hutch Morgan (Vince Vaughn) invites the siblings to audition for their dream at the O2 Arena in London.

Only Saraya makes the cut and she flies to Florida alone with a new stage name – Paige Knight – to prove her worth against body beautiful rivals Jeri-Lynn (Kim Matula), Kirsten (Aqueela Zoll) and Maddison (Ellie Gonsalves).

Fighting With My Family features an extended cameo from Johnson, playing himself with a twinkle in his eye.

End credits include home video footage of the real Paige Knight and her clan to illustrate where the script powerslams fact and somersaults into the realms of crowd-pleasing fiction. DAMON SMITH