The Smashing Machine

by Mike McGranaghan

Mark Kerr was a pioneer in UFC fighting, known for the laser focus that, combined with serious muscles, allowed him to easily pulverize his opponents in the ring. As played by Dwayne Johnson in The Smashing Machine, Kerr is a striking figure. Physically, he looks like the Hulk on steroids. His personality, however, is very soft-spoken and polite. When a woman asks if he hates the men he brutally punches, Kerr reassuringly responds, “No, not at all.”

The film tracks three years in the man’s life, from 1997 to 2000, as he works his way up the ranks. Together with best friend Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader), he participates in Japanese brawling competitions. Things are great for a while, with Kerr earning multiple victories. Then the troubles start. An opioid addition begins to negatively impact his relationship with girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt), as does a match resulting in a “no contest” ruling. The thought of not outright winning is one he can’t psychologically process. From there, the story tracks his efforts to get his career back on track without losing the woman he loves.

A-list actors typically fall into one of two categories. There are those who disappear into character (Sean Penn, Daniel Day-Lewis, Meryl Streep) and those who choose roles that are tailored to their well-refined screen personas (Ryan Reynolds, Jason Statham). Dwayne Johnson falls into the latter category, which is part of what makes his turn in The Smashing Machine so engrossing. He ventures into the “disappear into character” category for the first time, wearing prosthetics that change the look of his face and radically toning down the larger-than-life charisma that vaulted him onto the A-list in the first place. To say Johnson is a revelation would be an understatement. This role could completely change the course of his career.

He's bound to get the lion’s share of notice, but Emily Blunt’s performance shouldn’t be overlooked. Dawn is a complex person who admits that she prefers it when she needs to “take care of” Mark. Once he addresses the opioid addiction, her role changes. Blunt marvelously captures Dawn’s passive-aggressive manipulations as she creates unnecessary drama in an effort to put him back into the position of needing care. Also fun is the chance to see Blunt and Johnson reunited in a picture that is vastly different from Jungle Cruise.

Writer/director Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems) consciously tries to avoid following a conventional biopic format. That yields slightly mixed results. Not being locked into a template gives the film a less predictable feel; however, it can come off a bit too unstructured at points. The Sydney Sweeney boxing drama Christy, which shares a lot thematically, utilizes just enough of a structure to suck you into its heroine’s journey. The Smashing Machine would have been stronger with a little more of that.

Regardless, the film does prove to be a compelling human drama. Safdie’s screenplay dives into the nuances of Mark Kerr’s life and career. Failure is not a concept he understands. When it inevitably arrives, he falls apart. That’s the moment when Dawn decides to stick her finger in the wound by engaging in attention-getting behavior designed to put her at the center. The sports story is certainly interesting; the interpersonal story is even more so.

Although not the best sports-related biopic ever made, The Smashing Machine deserves to be seen for its ambitious style, atmospheric 16mm photography, and stellar acting.

---