By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson puts his acting talents to the test in a transformative role that punches with captivating intensity. “The Smashing Machine” is the biographical true story of one of the pioneers of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The story, while interesting, plays out more like “The Wrestler” than it does “Rocky.”
In 1997, the UFC was still in its infancy, but best friends Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson) and Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader) were quickly putting it on the map with their close quarters combat style. Also fighting for PRIDE in Japan, Kerr’s body endures significant punishment, leading him to the dark underbelly of pain medication. His addiction begins to affect not only his fighting, but also his relationship with his girlfriend Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt).
The tumultuous and occasionally explosive relationship further embroils Kerr in a battle with his demons, resulting in a near-death experience that forces him to get his life back on track. Through rigorous training with Bas Rutten (Bas Rutten), Kerr finds his way back to the ring to reclaim his prior glory, even if that means potentially squaring off against his good friend Coleman to get it.
It is the acting that takes center stage in this film, led by Dwayne Johnson, who went to great lengths to transform himself for this role. For starters, he gained 30 pounds to embody the physique of Mark Kerr, from his massive shoulders to his inflated quads. Then, Oscar-winning makeup artist Kazu Hiro supplied 14 to 22 different pieces, including facial prosthetics and a hairpiece, completing this transformative look. Dwayne completes this with a complex performance of this violently dominant human being mixed with a heartfelt vulnerability that makes him a fascinating watch. It is too early to tell whether his performance warrants Oscar consideration, but regardless, it is his finest performance to date.
Further enhancing the quality of acting is none other than Oscar nominee Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”). She is the perfect supporting co-star, because she has the selfless talent of elevating everyone else around her. Having already achieved a familiarity with Dwayne Johnson on the set of 2021’s “Jungle Cruise,” she draws from that deep friendship to build an instant and believable chemistry with him on this film. Through her own portrayal of his flawed girlfriend, she’s able to peel back that in-ring personality to show the audience another, more vulnerable side to Mark Kerr. Blunt offers some surprising, unhinged moments showing the mental instability of her own character that is certain to glue viewers to their seat.
This is the first feature film Benny Safdie has written and directed without his brother Josh, since their tremendous success with “Uncut Gems” in 2019. He does a solid job with this biopic, capturing Mark Kerr’s life during the short, yet pivotal time span between 1997 and 2000 that altered his life. In this way, he constructs a narrative that is as interesting as it is entertaining. However, this also limits his ability to really connect with emotional impact. By not showing anything about Kerr’s childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, Benny does not really give viewers any sense of who he really is, why he chose this career path, how he fell in love with his girlfriend, how he became good friends with Mark Coleman, etc. The audience is simply forced to accept all these traits and ambitions without much context, which prevents true connectability and emotional attachment.
“The Smashing Machine” doesn’t quite hit like “The Iron Claw” did in 2023, but it is still an interesting enough true story led by brilliant acting that makes it worthwhile. The movie is a must-see for UFC fans to get an inside look at the life of one of its legends in the sport. Just don’t expect it to reinvent the wheel or provide the moving, tear-jerking inspiration you would get from other movies in the genre.
This movie earns
