Insanely devastating story - had me questioning whether I’d got it wrong about it being a true story half way through. And now I learn there was another brother who wasn’t even included in the film, due to fitting everything in the runtime, who also died in tragic circumstances. I thought the entire cast were great - seeing Zac Efron and Lily James especially get these roles makes me very happy for them and I think several aspects of the film probably would have been Oscar nominated if it had released earlier. 

I’m not a wrestling fan and know very little about it but the film ensures this is not an issue and gives you the details you need to know without it becoming laborious. I understand why they wanted to keep the runtime down but I feel like I needed longer between each tragedy to feel and understand the implication of each one and would have allowed more of an emotional journey with the family. Maybe that was intentional though, to show the relentless nature of the events and the lack of time and room to grieve, both due to toxic environment and the continual tragedies that occurred. 

The happier moments I think will stick with me as much as the scenes of death and the funerals. Mike singing and playing guitar at the gig, the brothers and Pam dancing at the wedding, Kevin and David talking at the wedding in the toilet (not necessarily happy but a positive reflection of their brotherhood and relationship) and the final scenes with Kevin and his kids - all of these scenes, probably alongside Kerry’s death scene, stick out to me the most and made me feel the most. The ability of the brothers to still have these warm moments together and the value and importance of Pam in Kevin’s and the families’ life is beautiful and contrasts the ugliness of many other aspects of the story. 

The fact that it’s a true story and the impossibility of shying away from the devastation and its undeniable link to toxic masculinity, obsession/addiction, suppression of emotions and a skewed view of priorities, I think will make this an uncomfortable watch for many dads (especially from that same generation) who perhaps see glimpses of their own parenting in this film. For that alone, it’s definitely an important and worthwhile film which unapologetically presents the dangers of these issues and the value of a healthier and more balanced perspective of what being a man is and should be about.