“Uncut Gems” co-director Benny Safdie makes his solo directorial debut with another A24 film, “The Smashing Machine,” a biopic tribute to the birth of MMA and one of its pioneers, Mark Kerr.
The year is 1997, and Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson) is at the height of his MMA career. He’s won two consecutive UFC titles, he has a beautiful home, and a doting girlfriend, Dawn (Emily Blunt). From inside the ring, life looks great. However, outside, he’s grappling with an addiction to painkillers and the relentless pressure to stay on top.
This story hits close to home for Johnson, whose career as a World Wrestling Federation (WWE) wrestler was just beginning around the same time that Kerr was finding success. In an interview with ESPN, Johnson revealed that he personally saw other wrestlers of the era headed down the same path a Kerr. For Johnson, taking on this role was a “ love letter to the men who were my friends that I lost. And to [Mark’s] as well.”
Johnson is nearly unrecognizable under transformative prosthetics designed by Academy Award-winning artist Kazu Hiro. Unlike most prosthetics worn in films, Johnson’s had to take a punch and possibly a knee to the face. In an interview with the Motion Picture Association, he explained, “The fighting scenes really added different elements because the prosthetics have to last for a long time. So, this project required a different approach. We can’t do just one makeup a day; it had to go through stages. For all the added elements like swollen eyes or a broken nose, I made separate pieces that we could add on to the basic look.” The results are so convincing that when the real Mark Kerr makes a cameo, viewers may find themselves doing a double-take.
Another real-life fighter who appears in the film is Bas Rutten, portraying himself as Kerr’s coach. Like Johnson, Rutten transitioned from the ring to the screen, with roles in “Here Comes the Boom” and “Paul Blart: Mall Cop.” His performance feels genuine and heartfelt; less like a scripted cameo and more like a personal reflection drawn from real experience.
Johnson reunites with Emily Blunt, his “Jungle Cruise” co-star, but this time their dynamic dives far deeper. Their characters are both navigating the corrosive effects of addiction, Kerr as a fighter chasing greatness, and Dawn as the partner trying to hold everything together. The emotional weight ranges from subtle moments, like Dawn silently wiping away a tear while photographing Kerr and his rival Igor, to explosive clashes between the two. As an Oscar winner, Blunt’s layered performance is expectedly excellent, but Johnson’s ability to match her moment for moment delivering a raw, vulnerable, and deeply human portrayal, is a revelation. His work, particularly in a harrowing hospital scene following an overdose, is not only heartbreaking but potentially Oscar-worthy.
Safdie heightens the film’s emotional and physical intensity with his signature handheld camera style. The slight, jittery movement creates an almost documentary feel, placing the audience right at the edge of the ring.
“The Smashing Machine” is a visceral, emotionally charged portrait of a man caught between physical dominance and personal fragility. Safdie’s solo directorial debut is another cinematic “gem,” while Johnson delivers a knockout, career-defining performance.
“The Smashing Machine” is now playing in theaters.
Featured Photo Courtesy of A24