The Smashing Machine Review: Benny Safdie’s MMA drama lets Dwayne Johnson show the man behind the muscle

The Smashing Machine review

A different kind of fight

Benny Safdie’s ‘The Smashing Machine’ is a film that surprises you not with its fights, but with its silences. It’s a bruising, deeply felt character study about a man who wins battles inside the ring but loses them within himself. Based on the life of MMA legend Mark Kerr, the film is gritty, emotional, and relentlessly human—and it gives Dwayne Johnson the most vulnerable role of his career. Gone are the smirks, catchphrases, and superhero strength; what remains is raw exhaustion, fragility, and pain. Safdie captures this world of broken bodies and wounded egos with his signature intensity but also with a rare compassion that makes the film far more than a sports biopic.

The rise and unravelling of Mark Kerr

The story follows Mark Kerr’s (Dwayne Johnson) rise as one of the most dominant MMA fighters of the late 1990s. He trains harder than anyone, wins fight after fight, and becomes a symbol of power and endurance. But behind those victories lies a man falling apart. Kerr’s dependence on painkillers grows, his relationships crumble, and the spotlight that once lifted him starts to burn him out. The film doesn’t rush through these moments. Instead, it sits with the character—in the quiet of hotel rooms, in the aftermath of fights, and in the haunting silence after applause fades. Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt), the girlfriend, tries to hold his life together, though she’s caught between love and helplessness. Their scenes together are intimate but unsettling, filled with the unspoken ache of two people losing each other slowly.

Benny Safdie’s grit and stillness

Benny Safdie directs the film with unflinching honesty. His camera doesn’t glorify the sport or romanticize the violence. The fight scenes are shot close-up and messy—every punch lands heavy, every breath feels laboured. At times, the film looks almost like an old sports documentary, shot on 16mm and VHS, which gives it a raw, nostalgic texture. But beyond its look, ‘The Smashing Machine’ is a film about control—how athletes try to control pain, fame, and addiction until they can’t anymore. Safdie’s pacing is deliberate, maybe even challenging for viewers expecting fast drama. But his restraint is what makes the film powerful. Every scene builds like a slow bruise, revealing more about Kerr’s emotional collapse than his physical endurance.

Dwayne Johnson’s transformation

And then there’s Dwayne Johnson. This is the performance of his career—a complete departure from the charisma and confidence that built his stardom. Here, he’s stripped down to something bare and honest. Johnson not only transforms physically—gaining weight, wearing prosthetics, and even adopting Kerr’s posture—but he also changes emotionally. His eyes, usually full of bravado, carry deep sadness. His voice trembles in scenes where he tries to hide weakness. It’s the kind of performance that reminds audiences how much talent can lie beneath a star persona if the right director pushes it out. Emily Blunt is equally strong as Dawn, though her character is written more as an observer than a participant. Still, Blunt finds quiet grace in her role, balancing strength with heartbreak. The supporting cast—including real MMA fighters—adds authenticity, grounding the film in the sweat and noise of the sport’s early days.

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A story about the fights within

What makes ‘The Smashing Machine’ so moving is that it’s never just about a man fighting others—it’s about a man fighting himself. The scenes of Kerr alone, battling withdrawal, or facing the emptiness of victory, are as compelling as any fight sequence. The film ends not with triumph but with a sense of uneasy peace, and that feels right. Kerr’s story isn’t about redemption in the usual sense—it’s about acceptance. ‘The Smashing Machine’ stands as one of the most mature sports dramas in recent memory. It’s not built to entertain the way Johnson’s usual films are; it’s built to make you feel. Every frame carries the tension of real life—messy, imperfect, but honest. Benny Safdie proves that even in the brutality of combat, there’s room for tenderness. And Dwayne Johnson, finally, finds the courage to play a man who isn’t indestructible.Rating: 4/5