I’m glad former MMA fighter Mark Kerr is not being lost in the narrative. That’s not a reference to The Smashing Machine, which is all about this brief period in which Kerr became a notable figure for freestyle wrestling, while also dealing with eventual defeat, substance abuse issues, and an on-again, off-again girlfriend. No, I’m thinking of Dwayne Johnson, who portrays Kerr, was instrumental in getting this biographical drama made, and is also using this opportunity as a pivot in his acting career. While director/writer Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems) leads a great team of filmmakers in terms of the production to deliver a well-made feature that brings Kerr’s story to a larger audience, I can’t help but think that a majority of the attention is going to stay with Johnson’s efforts to prove himself in a way I’d argue he already has. That said, yes, Johnson does deliver one of his best performances in a film that is pure drama (along with some violent sports-related action). However, there’s also little here to suggest that this story isn’t better suited for a documentary.
To hear the whole story, a documentary is already available. It’s called The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr, and it came out back in 2002 on HBO. As it stands, this cinematic take on Kerr focuses on a few years in the late 90s and early 2000s that show Kerr’s rise through the MMA world at a time when the sport was still gaining popularity, with both audiences and businesses willing to give it more exposure. During this time, we follow Kerr as he reveals his philosophy regarding what he gets out of these matches and the costs it has on him, including an eventual opioid addiction. We also see his relationship with his girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt) and his friendship with fellow fighter Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader) take their own unique positions in Kerr’s life.
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Understandably, I can’t fault anyone for not more readily taking the chance to watch a hard-to-find documentary to understand an obscure sports figure’s story, when you have a film designed to serve as a prestige release, and stars some of the biggest actors in the world, right here for all to check out. That being said, having seen both, it does speak to the power that can come from differing film formats. Even without the documentary in mind, watching this film from competent filmmakers, I still came away thinking the results just were not that cinematically interesting. For all the effort put into utilizing different film stocks to convey the evolution of Kerr’s character, one sometimes has to wonder what this is all serving.
That’s not to say there are underhanded intentions here. At the end of the day, I fully believe that Safide is a huge fan of Kerr’s story (one can connect many of his circumstances to the core themes of other Safdie films). Johnson most certainly would like to honor the legacy of a man who helped pioneer what would later be best represented by the UFC. I also see the opportunity it presents for both in terms of what they can offer for those with visions for a film.
For Safdie, here’s the chance to do something a bit more conventional, without sacrificing much edge. MMA fighting is a rough business that leaves behind a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. The Smashing Machine doesn’t shy away from the brutality that comes with Kerr’s trade. As a gritty biopic, there are fortunately choices made that weave in and out of what to expect from a true-to-life sports story. Given the nature of Kerr’s arc, there’s a different sort of satisfaction to see unfold, which was welcome here, but certainly fits in line with what to expect from an A24 release, as opposed to a major cinematic adaptation looking to please all audiences.
Looking at Johnson, there’s no question that he’s attempting to truly transform himself here. Yes, I personally feel that there may be some competition with a couple of his other roles when it comes to determining his overall greatest performance as an actor (Fast Five and Pain & Gain come to mind). But this is no matter. He clearly wants to show he can move in other directions after making (self-imposed) choices to direct attention to just one side of where he stands as an actor. That means both physically altering his appearance and leaning into his charisma in a different way to convey who Kerr is. Now, is this a better area exemplified by the actual Kerr? Sure, but the Rock is giving his all to this performance, and it shows.
As one expects, Blunt is quite good (in a role that isn’t far from cliché). The two performers had great chemistry in the otherwise underwhelming Jungle Cruise movie, but their dynamic is obviously different here. One could argue that it works to a lesser extent, as there’s a melodramatic tone that accompanies this intense relationship shared between the two. It largely comes across that way because the rest of the film, as violent as it is, is less volatile. We expect the fights to be brutal and unforgiving, but they exist in a controlled environment. Having Dawn act outlandishly with Mark in terms of her anxieties and other factors, by contrast, pushes the film in ways that seem to suggest a desire to make the material feel more interesting.
Of course, that is the overriding situation I am trying to contend with. Not every story needs to be a movie, great as it is to see a particular kind of acknowledgment bestowed on someone like Kerr. The challenges presented, yes, are a depiction of reality, but do the bells and whistles that come from skilled filmmaking really add much to it? It’s especially questionable when there’s a lack of subtlety, and Johnson, while strong in the role, rarely sinks into a point where we forget that it’s this very specific actor putting on a performance. Perhaps that speaks to why Ryan Bader is perhaps the film’s true MVP, with his portrayal of Mark Coelman feeling like a living, breathing character who exists in this world.
It’s not as though I have designs on dissuading one from wanting to enjoy the story of Mark Kerr in cinematic form. However, given how routine I feel biopics can be, the notion of getting Johnson in serious dramatic acting mode didn’t ultimately outweigh the things I’m used to seeing in films like this. Still, enough strong work is present to say it’s a worthwhile feature. It’s just far from being a clean knockout.
The Smashing Machine opens in theaters on October 3, 2025.
