Fighting with My Family (2019)

🤼 A wrestling movie even for people who don’t care about wrestling 🏆

🎥 Let’s start by showing y’all the trailer, shall we?

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⚠️ Content Warning

A few crude jokes (2 or 3 tops), some family drama, and plenty of wrestling chaos.


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🌟 Non-spoiler Rundown

This is based on the true story of Saraya-Jade Bevis (better known by her WWE stage name Paige). Even though I don’t like WWE at all, I was surprised by how much I loved this movie. It’s heartfelt, funny, and surprisingly accurate to Paige’s real life—confirmed by Paige herself in interviews.


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🎭 Cast & Performances

Florence Pugh as Saraya / Paige – absolutely nailed it. She captures the toughness, vulnerability, and awkward charm of Paige perfectly. Easily one of Florence Pugh’s best roles. 🌟

Jack Lowden as Zak (her brother) – brings both the pain of rejection and the bitterness that comes with it. Frustrating to watch but really well-acted.

Nick Frost as Patrick (dad) – hilarious, fiery, and perfect for the role even if the real dad looks nothing like him.

Lena Headey as Julia (mom) – warm but strong, balancing out the family dynamic beautifully.

Vince Vaughn as Hutch Morgan (coach) – surprisingly great. A mix of tough love and hidden compassion.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as himself – a fun cameo, and he steals his scene (obviously).


The whole cast feels alive, and most of them look eerily accurate to the real family.


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💜 Favorite Character

No surprise here—Paige herself (Florence Pugh). She carries the movie with her drive, grit, and heart.


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📚 Accuracy to Real Life

Paige herself has said this movie got her story “pretty dang accurate.” Some details are shifted or dramatized, but the heart of her journey is correct: the struggle, the rejection, the doubts, the training, and her eventual rise. The brother, mom, and Paige herself look nearly identical to their real-life counterparts. The only oddball? Nick Frost’s “dad look” with a mohawk and beard—Paige’s actual dad had no beard and full hair. Still, the spirit of the characters is captured well.


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✅ Pros

Florence Pugh’s performance = phenomenal.

Cast is spot-on, especially Nick Frost and Lena Headey.

Great balance of humor, heart, and drama.

Surprisingly accurate to Paige’s real story.

Doesn’t require you to be a WWE fan to enjoy it.


❌ Cons

Paige’s dad doesn’t look at all like his real-life counterpart.

Zak (the brother) can be really unlikable for big chunks of the movie.

Some pacing hiccups when it shifts between family drama and training.



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💭 Final Thoughts

This isn’t just a wrestling movie—it’s a story about family, ambition, and finding your place in the world. Whether or not you care about WWE, it works because it’s grounded in real emotions.


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⭐ Rating

10/10
Florence Pugh crushes it, the cast delivers, and the story feels both heartfelt and inspiring.


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📖 Plot (Spoilers Ahead 🚨)

Saraya (Florence Pugh) grows up in a wrestling-obsessed family. Alongside her brother Zak (Jack Lowden), she auditions for WWE in front of Hutch Morgan (Vince Vaughn). She gets accepted—Zak doesn’t.

Zak spirals: he skips seeing Saraya off at the airport, neglects his wife and newborn, drinks instead of helping, and even picks bar fights. He becomes the definition of bitter failure—resentful that his sister got the shot he wanted.

Meanwhile, Saraya heads to the U.S. for brutal training. She doesn’t fit in at first—struggling with confidence, dying her hair blonde to blend in, and nearly quitting when Hutch warns her that chasing success might cost her family. Homesick and insecure, she briefly returns home, almost giving up on the dream altogether.

Back in England, her parents are split—her mom supportive of whatever decision she makes, her dad more demanding. But Saraya eventually realizes she can’t let her brother’s jealousy or her own fear stop her. She heads back, dyes her hair black again, embraces the name Paige, and finally finds her groove.

The big payoff: Paige debuts live on WWE television. Against all odds, she wins her first fight and becomes champion in front of a roaring crowd. Back home, her whole family (even a now-mended Zak) watch her triumph on TV, finally proud and united.

The credits roll with real footage of Paige, her brother, and her parents growing up in their wrestling-obsessed household—bringing everything full circle.