The Smashing Machine
“The Smashing Machine” gives Dwayne Johnson his most interesting material in front of the camera in almost two decades, and- under the direction of Bennie Safdie- he runs with it for probably the best performance of his career. I do not follow wrestling or ultimate fighting, so I knew nothing about Mark Kerr heading into this film, even though there is a documentary of the same name about it, but the narrative choices this film took required a recalibration from me in terms of being a movie about a sports figure. Safdie’s film looks at a particular moment in Kerr’s life, and the obsession that drives him as UFC and MMA fighting gets a higher and higher profile. It’s an entertaining film.
Safdie’s film looks at Kerr’s life and career from 1997, when he began doing ultimate fighting in South America, through 2000, when he was in the finals of Japan’s Pride Grand Prix tournament. His career in the ring extends beyond that period of time, but as we watch Kerr’s story unfold, what begins as a brutal title run turns into a story of obsessively chasing that high he feels when he wins, whether it’s continuing to fight, or when he finds himself addicted to opioids, which he’s used to dull the pain of his injuries. This isn’t just a story of triumph and heartache in the ring, but trying to be the best version of himself outside of it, especially with his girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt), and his friend and fellow fighter, Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader).
Since he began appearing in films with “The Mummy Returns” and “The Scorpion King,” Johnson’s main mode as a performer has been hulking action star, even when he was in more dramatic attempts like “Walking Tall” and “Southland Tales,” he was still in a fairly narrow acting range. This is a step out of his comfort zone, even if his muscular build is still one of the selling points of the character. He’s asked to show more depth of character and purpose than he’s been asked to do previously, and it is a terrific performance from him. This is a film which pivots on Kerr’s actions outside of the ring more than they do what he does in the ring, and that’s why it stands out as a sports drama. As Dawn, Blunt does solid work, but it’s a thankless role, as a woman who almost seems disappointed that Kerr is trying to go straight; that they had more in their relationship after the events in this movie is a bit surprising, although that it wasn’t happily ever after was not. The stronger dynamic is between Kerr and Coleman, and Bader does a great job balancing the character’s natural competitive spirit with friendship for Kerr. Seeing how their stories end up is a welcome treat in this film that looks at the idea of a man trying to being a champion outside of the ring, even if they cannot be one in it.
