Dwayne Johnson steps back into the ring in A24’s new film “The Smashing Machine.” This time however, he isn’t “The Rock”; he instead assumes the role of Mark Kerr, a pioneer in the world of the UFC.
The film is a biopic revolving around Kerr, a Hall of Fame fighter, and it follows his life in the late nineties ’as he deals with the stress of fighting, his up-and-down but clearly loving relationship with his girlfriend and eventual wife Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt) and his addiction to pain killers. “The Smashing Machine” was written and directed by Benny Safdie who previously worked on films like “Uncut Gems” and “Good Time.”
The film follows Kerr when he was near the top of his game as one of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world. In fact, when the movie starts, Kerr has yet to lose a fight. While the well-choreographed fights create exciting and raw action, the emotional climaxes come from his equally intense bouts with his girlfriend Dawn as they argue about everything yet still love each other all the same.
At times, the story comes off a little random and disjointed. The scenes range from Kerr and Dawn seemingly in love to Kerr training for a fight to Kerr and Dawn in a big argument claiming to hate each other. This may confuse viewers as one scene doesn’t naturally progress to the next. However, this sporadic nature is more honest to reality. The actual Mark Kerr had a very chaotic life at the time the film captures, so the confusing order accurately depicts his story.
Working against “The Smashing Machine” is Johnson’s ubiquity in modern popular culture. He has a recognizable voice, so at times, it can be jarring to hear his voice in a film that isn’t his typical action-comedy. Late in the movie, Kerr shaves his head. At this point, he looks identical to The Rock; his voice and look make it challenging to differentiate between the actor and the character.
That isn’t to say that Johnson does a bad job acting in the movie. In fact, he has earned some Oscar buzz for his performance in the film. Johnson’s decision to take a risk and switch movie genres played out beautifully. The emotion and passion he brings to the role are most noticeable when he struggles with the stress of the ring and engages in shouting matches with his girlfriend.
When portraying Dawn, Blunt skillfully shows the swings between being happy with Kerr and hating his guts. In perhaps the best scene of the movie, Kerr tells her about how he feels he was cheated in a fight because his opponent repeatedly kicked him in the head and referees did not call a foul. She truly empathizes with how upset he feels. Then, the opponent comes into the room, and Kerr acts as though they’re best friends and asks Dawn to take a picture of them together. As she does, a single tear falls down her face. The audience can feel her pain as she watches the man she loves struggle. Dawn’s character goes through as much stress and turmoil as Kerr does in “The Smashing Machine,” and Blunt excels at demonstrating that pain.
Also noteworthy, “The Smashing Machine” features many first-time actors in important roles. Numerous professional fighters were cast in this movie including MMA star Ryan Bader, who plays fighter and friend of Kerr’s Mark Coleman. In the film, Coleman is a likeable family man who fights to support those he loves, and Bader does a convincing job in his first big-screen appearance. His inexperience is noticeable, but Bader’s presence on screen makes the viewer root for him, which gives hope for a future acting career.
In the end, “The Smashing Machine” is a testament to authenticity. The leads, Johnson and Blunt, who both spent time with their real life counterparts, bring this tenet to the big screen. Safdie also limited cutting the camera away from Johnson in the fight scenes, which meant he took real hits while filming. The movie’s story is genuine; it doesn’t show Kerr at his best, but it does show him as he was. For its sincerity and emotion, “The Smashing Machine” is a worthwhile watch.