Fighting With My Family review — Don’t you dare dismiss it because it’s about professional wrestling. It’s an understated treasure.

You heard it here first: Fighting With My Family is going to be a sleeper hit of Bend It Like Beckham proportions. It’s right up there with The Damned United. Add it to your list of quirky British-based sports film that you’ll be thrilled you discovered.

Perhaps your interest will be even more piqued when you hear it’s based on the true story of a real life British professional wrestling family, the rough and tumble Knights. All of them aspire to stardom in the WWE, but only will make it: teenage daughter Paige. Wiki her—she became a bonafide champ.

No spoilers here, the film is not about Paige’s eventual destination at the top of the WWE. It’s about her journey getting there. The cast is superb, lead by Florence Pugh (Little Drummer Girl, Outlaw King, Lady Macbeth) playing a surprisingly vulnerable Saraya, who eventually changes her name to Paige.

Pugh is perfectly matched with Lena Headey (Cersei from Game of Thrones) as her rock and roll wrestling mother Sweet Saraya Knight; Nick Frost as dad Rowdy Ricky Knight; Jack Lowden (Dunkirk, Mary Queen of Scots) as her brother Zak Zodiak and Vince Vaughn as the WWE scout/coach.

Oh yes, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appears as himself. Also a producer on the film, he’s the one who spearheaded the entire project as a personal labor of love. For this and so much more, we are grateful to you, Big Guy.

But perhaps the film’s true brilliance is in the directing and writing. Stephen Merchant, who created the original The Office with Ricky Gervais, is responsible for both writing and directing, and also has a cameo in the film. You’ll recognize him immediately.

There’s so much gritty heart hear you’ll find yourself captivated from the first bell. It’s strange to say that a film about professional wrestling feels tenderly authentic and sincere, but that’s how good the actors and filmmakers are. It’ll pin you to the mat from the very beginning and hold you there for the duration.

PG-13

1 Hour 47 Minutes

After reading this Fighting With My Family review, you’ll want to get tickets immediately. Find them at Fandango.com.

Fighting With My Family review — Don’t you dare dismiss it because it’s about professional wrestling. It’s an understated treasure.