Even though this film has Nick Frost, Lena Headly, and yes, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, I wasn't expecting much more than a bit of amusing viewing to while away an evening. Well, "Frack me dead and bury me pregnant", as the females in the Knight family are prone to exclaim, if this didn't turn out to be a hidden gem of a movie. (shoulda' known with the caliber of the actors) Florence Pugh does a fantastic job as the future, real life, WWE Diva "Paige", who gets her shot to go from a D League family wrestling hustle, to the big time, thanks to having actual skills rather than just "boobs and a nice butt" to shake at the male fans. The thing that makes it all the more amazing, is, the whole thing is true. I didn't think a wrestling movie would cause me to reach for the Kleenex, but yeah, the story is that inspiring, and may just get you in the feels too.

Some heart rending moments as her brother, who tried out with her, but didn't have "it" struggles with what one is to do when your dream has been absconded with by someone you're close to, even if deep inside you know they did nothing wrong. Hilarious "Meet the family" moment as Zak introduces his pregnant girlfriends parents to his tribe, and to pro(ish) wrestling, British style.

There's even some sage advice from Vince Vaughn, and The Rock, as he tells the eventual WWE Diva "Don't try to be the next ME, be the first YOU! Yeah baby, I can totally SMELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL, what this movies cookin'!

I added this film to my backlog on a whim, having seen that it had earned positive reviews. Truth be told, that was the only reason I gave it a shot. I have never seen a WWE match, nor do I have any positive feelings related to that media. Seeing that this was a family comedy with the Rock didn't give me much hope either. But hey, it pays off to try something new every once in a while, and this was certainly worth the watch!

"Fighting With My Family" follows the true story of English professional wrestler Paige, with liberties taken there of course. I will actually use point this as one of my criticisms of the film. Practically no time is devoted to Paige's growth as a professional wrestler, the film only focuses on [spoiler]her overcoming her insecurities and all of a sudden becoming a WWE champion[/spoiler]. I had to look it up, and sure enough, they rushed through what was her actual career growth. It's quite noticeable in the film itself, which is why I am mentioning it. Otherwise, as an outsider to this sphere, I had few issues with it. The actual wrestling was even more exaggerated than the real thing, but it was entertaining to watch.

What really sells the movie is its comedy and the family themes. I don't think anyone would expect a WWE film to be a candidate for high-brow comedy, but that doesn't mean the jokes here aren't funny. A lot of them work thanks to great comedic timing and performances. It's vulgar, and succeeds at it. One also has to appreciate the film's heart, as you really feel the connection between Paige and her family. Zak, her brother, brought some much needed contrast to her character and added a more realistic complexity to the story. As such, the actual wrestling serves more as a backdrop for these characters to interact.

Vince Vaughn takes on the completely fictional role of Hutch Morgan, a recruiter and coach that serves to drive the plot and Paige's development further. His role took on that classic trope of a hateable character with a golden heart. I can't lie, it worked. There's plenty of cliches in the film, but they work well in the context, and that's what really matters in the end.

All in all, I found "Fighting With My Family" to be pretty fun. It's in no way mind-blowing, but it's a solid piece of entertainment that I can recommend to anyone who just wants to enjoy a funny rags-to-riches story.

Not really a Wrestling movie so much as it is a character study that may or may not be remotely accurate. I don't feel like I walked away from _Fighting with My Family_ with a greater appreciation for the sport, but I did feel like I understood how the core cast felt about it.

_Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a _