Dwayne Johnson fights for the role he was born to play in ‘The Smashing Machine’

When thinking of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, an acclaimed, award-deserving actor is not the first thing that comes to mind. A former wrestler turned actor, Johnson became known for roles in blockbuster action and comedy film franchises such as “Fast & Furious” and “Jumanji.” With his newest role as Mark Kerr in an MMA biopic, “The Smashing Machine,” which was released Oct. 3, Johnson combines his two careers into one, giving the performance they have been building towards.

More than a typical sports biopic, the film is based on the documentary “The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr.” The adaptation stars Johnson as Kerr and Academy Award nominee Emily Blunt, who played roles in “Oppenheimer” and “The Devil Wears Prada,” as Kerr’s on-and-off again girlfriend, Dawn Staples. Their relationship is helped by their electric chemistry with one another, despite the film struggling to give the screentime that they need for their relationship to be properly fleshed out. 

A large portion of “The Smashing Machine” focuses on Kerr’s addiction to opiates. At the beginning of the film, Kerr is shown becoming more desperate to obtain painkillers from doctors. His life begins to fully deteriorate after he loses his first major fight, with his addiction spiraling to the point of overdose. Despite his overdose and subsequent time in rehab — which was not  explicitly shown — the film still respectfully shows how devastating and consuming addiction can be, for both Kerr and his loved ones.

The film employs several professional boxers and mixed martial artists who help make the audience feel as if they are not simply watching a film, but instead seeing boxing play out in real time. Ryan Bader plays Mark Coleman, Kerr’s best friend, who becomes his main support system while Kerr is struggling. Bader is a standout in the film, hitting every emotional beat needed to feel genuinely moved by both Bader and his character’s friendship with Kerr. Bas Rutten plays a fictional version of himself as Kerr’s trainer with ease, and Oleksandr Usyk is memorable as the intimidating Igor Vovchanchyn, the boxer who defeats Kerr for the first time.

Early on in the film, Kerr purchases an expensive kintsugi bowl in Japan that becomes a metaphor for his journey in the film. Kintsugi is a Japanese tradition of repairing broken pottery by mending it with plated gold. After an intense argument with Kerr, Staples smashes the bowl, with it once again breaking up into pieces. Near the end of the film, Staples gifts Kerr the kintsugi bowl repaired by herself, symbolizing their on-and-off again relationship and how, despite their arguments, they still love and stand by one another.

“The Smashing Machine” is written, directed and edited by Benny Safdie, who won the Silver Lion (the Best Director prize) at the Venice Film Festival when the film premiered earlier this year. He is known for his collaborations with his brother Josh Safdie, with whom he made “Uncut Gems” and “Good Time.” He also worked with Nathan Fielder, with whom he made the television show “The Curse.” Even if his directing and editing flourish more than his writing, Safdie is superb at all three. A little over two hours, “The Smashing Machine” tends to drag as the camera does not show everything you wish it would. Despite expecting the film to go into detail about the complications of Kerr’s relationship with Staples and more, the film overwhelms itself with how much it wants to focus on, trying so hard to give every aspect of Kerr’s life attention that it slightly crumbles under all of the weight. 

At the end of the film, Kerr finally accepts a major loss in the tournament he had been preparing for throughout the film. Johnson excels in his final moments the most, finally showing supreme acting abilities that he seems to have hidden throughout most of his acting career. Unveiling layers of exhaustion, anger, sadness and more in seconds, Johnson showcases to the audience that he is an actor finally demanding to be taken seriously. Blunt is also phenomenal as Staples, highlighting her depression while also giving her character a fiery screen presence that makes the audience wish they felt more of it.

The film uses tight camera work that emphasizes certain parts of Kerr’s body throughout the film, such as his face, his chest and his head. The camera work is purposeful and delicate, taking its time on specific shots and letting the actors fully transform into their characters. Atmospheric and memorable, “The Smashing Machine” is one of the most interesting films of the year. “The Smashing Machine” proves that the most difficult fights for Kerr were not in the ring, but rather when he was forced to look in the mirror.