The Smashing Machine, directed by Benny Safdie, is in cinemas now.
It might not seem much of a stretch for former professional wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to play Mark Kerr, an early star of mixed martial arts (MMA) back in the sport’s early days.
Kerr’s short time at the top and his drug addictions were the subject of the 2002 HBO documentary The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr. Johnson, also a producer, stars in what is essentially a faithful dramatisation of that film. And while cynics might say the adaptation is really just a chance for Johnson to stretch out as an actor by playing his first real-life character in what for him is familiar territory, his is a transformative performance in an impressively gritty, unflashy biopic.
He disappears behind facial prosthetics while his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt, complete with push-up bra and big hair, is in top form as Kerr’s girlfriend Dawn.
Director Benny Safdie (Good Time, Uncut Gems), who won the best director prize at Venice for this, focuses on the years 1997 to 2000 as Kerr became the world No 1 MMA heavyweight.
His fight scenes are painfully authentic – skulls crack under attack by illegal knees, eyes swell and mouths bleed – but Kerr’s inevitable descent into opioid addiction is either handled too lightly or I’m just too used to watching much more gruesome tales of abuse and withdrawal.
Narratively, The Smashing Machine is so devoted to honouring its real-life source material that Safdie’s hand-held, documentary-style cinematography and unhurried scenes of prosaic interactions make the film an exemplar of dramatic acting, but not much of an action drama.
Johnson does amazing work in the quieter beats. There is a powerful moment where he’s clearly out of it before a fight and we see “The Rock” completely subsumed into Kerr’s blank eyes and heavy brow. In a later scene, the gentle giant is astounding as he pleads with Dawn to respect his sobriety by not coming home drunk.
The Smashing Machine doesn’t have the fury of Raging Bull or the angst of The Wrestler. But it’s a captivating character study with The Rock as its impressively solid core.
Rating out of five: ★★★★
