as Luke, a sweet-natured fellow wrestler working through familial issues of his own. The plot is drawn directly from Shults’s life, inspired by his high school wrestling years.in a recent interview, hunkered down on a couch in a hotel lobby.
The 31-year-old first came up with the idea when he was around 19, originally conceiving it as a coming-of-age party film along the lines ofBut it continued to twist and change over the years. “I had no idea how to click it all into a coherent story until about two summers ago when I started writing,” he said. “It just spewed out of me.”
The film also began clicking into place once he started sliding actors into the roles, primarily Harrison Jr., who also starred inand is something of a burgeoning muse for Shults. “I just felt a connection to him,” Shults said, remembering the first time he saw the rising star’s audition tape. “It’s only grown stronger, and he’s like my brother. I love that kid.”