10 Best Movies Like The Iron Claw

The recent A24 production The Iron Claw has impressed audiences with its incredible portrayal of the wrestling family, the Von Erichs. For those still buzzing from this biographical sports drama, several other movies promise to keep the adrenaline flowing. The Iron Claw offers a riveting glimpse behind the scenes of the rise and fall of the famous Von Erich wrestling family. Directed by Sean Durkin and featuring an A-list cast, the film depicts the intense training, pressure and personal demons faced by brothers Kevin, Kerry, and David as they follow in their father Fritz’s footsteps to become superstar wrestlers.

Without sensationalism, The Iron Claw candidly captures the extreme highs and lows of life in the spotlight. Viewers are immersed in the Von Erichs’ world, gaining empathy for each brother as they strive for glory in and out of the ring. For those electrified by the family’s powerful story, several other films shine a spotlight on determined underdogs beating the odds. Some offer inspiration while others provide gritty authenticity, much like The Iron Claw. Whether a sports movie based on real life is preferred or a close-up look at the life of an athlete, a number of movies continue the adrenaline rush.

10 Cassandro (2023)

Offers a candid perspective on the personality behind the ring persona.

The true story of Cassandro offers an intimate look at the world of professional wrestling by focusing on the extraordinary career of trailblazing Mexican wrestler Saúl Armendáriz. Embracing the flamboyant, exotic wrestling persona of Cassandro, Armendáriz broke barriers in the 1980s by becoming one of the first openly gay luchadores. Similar to the Von Erich brothers in The Iron Claw, Cassandro faces intense pressure from trainers and family to conform to masculine ideals of strength and heterosexuality against the backdrop of a highly competitive, high-stakes sport. The movies highlight their protagonists’ fierce determination and charisma as means of overcoming prejudice and rising to wrestling stardom on their own terms.

9 Hands of Stone (2016)

A riveting perspective on a champion boxer

Hands of Stone chronicles boxer Roberto Durán’s ascent from impoverished beginnings to legendary status in the ring, culminating in his fierce rivalry with Sugar Ray Leonard. Much like the Von Erich brothers facing intense pressure from their father, Durán contends with formidable expectations and sacrifices throughout his career. Both films provide an uncompromising look at their protagonists’ extreme dedication and the heavy toll of life in the spotlight. Centering on the boxers’ unrelenting drive, Hands of Stone parallels The Iron Claw’s candor in capturing the humanity behind beloved sports icons.

8 Fighting With My Family (2019)

Tells the story of an athlete with a dream

Offering a behind-the-scenes perspective on WWE wrestler Paige, Fighting With My Family tells the story of an athlete beating the odds to achieve superstardom. Chronicling Paige’s journey from her scrappy beginnings training with her tight-knit family in Norwich, England to getting signed to the WWE, the film candidly captures her relentless work ethic and unbreakable spirit in the face of adversity. Keeping in the same vein of The Iron Claw, Paige must push past self-doubt and skepticism as an unconventional athlete in a glamorous, high-profile sport. Bolstered by Florence Pugh’s raw performance, Fighting With My Family parallels The Iron Claw’s empathy for protagonists striving for greatness against all expectations.

7 You Cannot Kill David Arquette (2020)

An unfiltered glimpse behind the curtain of professional wrestling

Spotlighting actor David Arquette’s uniquely personal redemption story, the film chronicles his return to the ring after being ostracized for his widely criticized stint as a wrestler in 2000. Arquette seeks to gain credibility and be taken seriously within the close-knit wrestling community. With humor and sincerity, You Cannot Kill David Arquette parallels The Iron Claw‘s willingness to spotlight the humanity and flaws behind beloved entertainment icons. Both films provide insider perspectives on the triumphs and tribulations of carving out an identity in the demanding world of sports entertainment.

6 Chuck (2016)

A boxing biopic focusing on fame

Though set in the world of boxing rather than wrestling, the biopic Chuck bears similarities to The Iron Claw in its raw, introspective look at an athlete suddenly thrust into the spotlight. The film depicts the incredible true story of Chuck Wepner, an underdog boxer who went 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali and inspired Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky. Liev Schreiber’s nuanced portrayal captures Wepner’s struggles with his overnight celebrity and the personal toll of being an unlikely sports icon. Chuck offers an unflinching glimpse at both the soaring highs and crushing lows faced by those competing at the highest levels as it traces the unpredictable fallout from Wepner’s brush with greatness.

5 Bleed for This (2016)

An athlete displaying perseverance and dedication

Bleed for This chronicles the incredible comeback of champion boxer Vinny Pazienza after a catastrophic car crash. It encapsulates the extreme physical and inner resolve demanded by sports at the highest level. Similar to the Von Erich brothers striving to uphold their family legacy despite a devastating tragedy, Pazienza fights through agonizing odds to return to the ring after being told he may never walk again. Bleed for This gives an unflinching authenticity in conveying the extreme risks and sacrifices inherent to the pursuit of greatness, and the powerful stories that result.

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4 The Hurricane (1999)

An empathetic portrait of an athlete battling extreme adversity

The Hurricane depicts the real-life odyssey of boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, powerfully played by Denzel Washington. Wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, Washington’s Carter demonstrates the same relentless will to overcome exhibited by the Von Erich family in pursuing exoneration and justice. Much as the Von Erich brothers persevere through family tragedy, The Hurricane reveals the immense strength required for one man to stand against a fundamentally unjust system. Full of Denzel Washington’s best quotes, the film spotlights a determined individual who refuses to yield to even the most crushing misfortunes, unfolding inspiring stories of the human capacity to endure.

3 Cinderella Man (2005)

Highlights the necessary grit required to excel

Like The Iron Claw‘s candid glimpse at the extreme pressures facing the Von Erich wrestling dynasty, Cinderella Man spotlights an athlete displaying remarkable resilience and perseverance. Chronicling boxer James J. Braddock’s against-all-odds 1935 comeback from poverty to heavyweight champion, Cinderella Man encapsulates the intense grit required to succeed at the elite level. Echoing the Von Erich family’s grappling with tragedy and expectation, Braddock fights to provide for his family during the Great Depression after a broken hand derails his once-promising career. The film conveys the incredible self-belief and determination athletes must foster to revive fading dreams in the face of daunting circumstances.

2 Foxcatcher (2014)

An examination of the psychological forces that drive those in elite sports

The Iron Claw and the drama Foxcatcher make an engrossing pair for those compelled by the psychological depth beneath elite athletic pursuits. Directed by Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher details the relationship between Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz and eccentric sponsor John du Pont, played by an against-type Steve Carell. As Schultz becomes increasingly entangled in du Pont’s web of influence, the film exposes the menacing scrutiny and darkness that can accompany sports greatness. Both films peel back the facade of charmed sporting lives to reveal universal human struggles for identity and purpose. One of Channing Tatum’s and Mark Ruffalo’s best movies, Foxcatcher matches The Iron Claw in conveying greatness’s invisible underside.

1 The Wrestler (2008)

Offers another layer to the realities obscured by fame

Darren Aronofsky’s character study, The Wrestler, offers an intimate look at personal demons haunting an aging athlete. With Mickey Rourke playing Randy “The Ram” Robinson, the film provides a profile of a wrestler facing life’s uncertainties after the spotlight fades. Without the support of family or friends, Randy struggles to reinvent himself while reconciling regret, financial troubles, and his own romanticization of the past. While The Iron Claw examines the Von Erich brothers grappling with external pressures, The Wrestler spotlights the inner turmoil that lives in isolation. Still, both peel back wrestling’s spectacle to focus on the solitude and self-reckoning awaiting those who built identities around beloved personas.