‘The Smashing Machine’: Dwayne Johnson Reaches a Transformative Peak in Benny Safdie’s Biopic of MMA Pioneer

Alci Rengifo

Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine” sets out to break a few rules. It wants to be an arthouse drama that doubles as a sports biopic. At the same time, it seeks to defy the old biopic rules when it comes to profiling an athlete. Then there’s the stylistic flourish of having the film designed for IMAX screenings. The result is a fascinating and immersive portrait featuring the best acting yet from Dwayne Johnson aka the Rock. By taking a rather detached approach devoid of all the fireworks you tend to get in a sports movie, Safdie turns the story of Mark Kerr into an offbeat chronicle about life outside of immense fame or notoriety.

Mark Kerr as played by Johnson is introduced in 1997 fighting in his first MMA tournament in Brazil. At the time the UFC was more of a niche attraction, notorious for its extreme nature (the exact rules of what was allowed were still being solidified). Mark isn’t even making enough to fully live off the sport, so he and fellow fighters like Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader) are at times the equivalent of athletic freelancers. At home Mark lives with volatile girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt), who genuinely cares for him yet can snap at any slight trigger. A major fight results in Mark’s opponent using a clearly illegal move and the match ends in a no-decision. Not only does the result keep Mark paused from rising in the UFC ranks, it leads to him becoming addicted to painkillers. 

This is Safdie’s first solo directorial effort after parting ways with his brother Josh. Together the siblings made engrossing character studies like “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems,” where Robert Pattinson and Adam Sandler transformed into heroically tragic wrecks. “The Smashing Machine” is a narrative cousin to those films, again presenting a main character which is both flawed and likable. A major point of inspiration is the 2002 HBO documentary “The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr,” to the point that cinematographer Maceo Bishop shoots much of the movie in the tone of a work of journalism, particularly the fight scenes. VHS and celluloid combine to transport us back to the late ‘90s and early 2000s, creating a full illusion of these actors inhabiting that moment in time. Fights are seen at a distance without the usual exuberance and slow motion you would get in a “Creed” movie. 

Where the movie does a delicate tightrope walk is in finding a “plot.” Safdie is not interested in another traditional rags to riches journey. Mark grabs as an eternal underdog cursed by circumstances mixed with bad choices. He is committed to his sport but the painkiller addiction derails him. Safdie’s screenplay does not linger on the actual drug abuse. The time he spends as an addict is almost a footnote. Because Mark is a giant of a man with a calm demeanor, one gets the sense he would recover just fine if it wasn’t for Dawn creating such a tense household. One moment she’s being maternal to Mark, tagging along as his gym partner and trying hard to get his protein shakes right. The next she’s throwing jealous tantrums and doing hard drugs almost as a way to get attention. She confides to a friend that she preferred Mark as an addict because she felt needed. Emily Blunt transforms into a fantastic brat, evoking a person who seems to know when to cry on cue. 

Some people deserve success yet the cards are dealt the other way. As Mark’s life gets more tumultuous, his buddy Coleman keeps rising as an MMA champion. What makes Johnson’s performance so unique is how he underplays these themes. Mark doesn’t rage with the cinematic ambition of a Rocky. He takes losses in stride, never seeming to hold a grudge or build vendettas. His love for mixed martial arts comes from the same place as someone who likes to play music. This approach makes Johnson’s task wonderfully layered. Being famous as The Rock, one could easily assume it would be so easy to play a muscular athlete. Most of his time onscreen is outside of the ring as a man who isn’t the keenest intelligence but has a good heart. We can see the wheels turning in his mind when trying to deal with career goals and Dawn’s demands. Johnson wisely chooses never to raise his voice much. Maybe Kerr’s follies come from being too nice in a mean world.

“The Smashing Machine” looks great on IMAX and yet might work slightly better on a regular screen. It is such an observational and character-driven piece that it doesn’t need such a massive scale for its effect. The ending dismisses climactic expectations and sticks to a sobering sense of how real life tends to work. Mark Kerr became heroic for his sheer drive at a time when this sport did not guarantee million dollar paydays. Back when $300,000 was made to sound like the pinnacle of what he should aspire to. What is key is the personality Dwayne Johnson brings to life. We root for Mark Kerr because he’s worth rooting for. Audiences walking in expecting a hard-hitting UFC film might be disappointed, despite the appearance of several real figures from that world in small roles. This is a portrait that goes beyond interest in the ring. Someone who has never cared for the sport could be pleasantly surprised. 

“The Smashing Machine” releases Oct. 3 in theaters nationwide.