20 Best Movies Of 2024 (So Far)

20. The Iron Claw

In many ways, The Iron Claw isn't as heartbreaking as it could be, often leaving its tragedies off-screen and quickly sidelined. And yet, despite this, it's still a film that lingers on the mind. 

A big reason for this is the cast, particularly a haunted Zac Efron (how far he's come!) and bitter Jeremy Allen White, who bring to life the various members of the doomed Von Erich wrestling dynasty with palpable discomfort and unwavering empathy. 

Directed by Sean Durkin, who finds powerful imagery in the film's unsettling wrestling sequences, The Iron Claw is compassionate and horrible in equal measure, following the Von Erich brothers - sons to a cruel and distant father - as they succumb to the pressure of their careers and home lives with tragic results.

As noted, it sometimes skips over the big moments to make way for the next, but the mark it leaves is indelible, especially in a tear-jerking final scene shared by Efron and his loving on-screen kids.