Having mastered the perilous wrestler-turned-actor pipeline, there’s little Dwayne Johnson hasn’t achieved in Hollywood. With films like Skyscraper and Fast & Furious, he became the kind of action hero audiences haven’t seen since the ‘90s, while he became a Disney icon thanks to Moana, and had numerous successes as a producer. However, like many other marquee names, awards success remains elusive, a fact that has led him to team up with writer/director Benny Safdie for MMA biopic The Smashing Machine.
Johnson plays Mark Kerr, the real-life Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, at a period in his life where his sporting success is in direct contrast with his personal struggles. Plagued by opioid addiction and mental health issues, the first loss of his career becomes the catalyst for these demons to cause him to crumble, affecting his mindset as a fighter and his relationship with girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt). As he seeks to dig himself out of an existential hole, he struggles to decide whether love or victory is more important.
The film represents two fascinating prospects for film fans – the notion of Johnson becoming a prestige actor, and what Benny Safdie brings to the screen in his first film without co-directing brother Josh. The answer to the latter is an accomplished if not always satisfying sports drama. Approaching the sport of MMA, then in its infancy, with sincerity, he explores what happens when a man who has never contemplated losing finds himself face down on the mat. It meditates on this concept, sometimes to the detriment of more emotional elements in the movie, but with the kind of assurance that will keep you seated to the end.
Then there’s Johnson, who elevates The Smashing Machine with a surprisingly thoughtful performance. We’re used to modern sporting figures being loud, chest-beating self-promoters, but the star plays Kerr as a gentle giant, articulating his needs clearly while letting the simmering desperation of his addiction be visible just behind the eyes. Even his bursts of physical violence are propelled by something deeper than machismo. This isn’t a tough guy playing it safe by playing to type – Johnson gives his character humanity, in all its ugliness.
This impressive vulnerability is bolstered by Blunt, who takes a potentially thin role and makes it complex. Dawn is neither saint nor sinner, and takes on as many obstacles as Mark as she wonders if this shift in their lives could be fatal for their relationship. It’s a shame Ryan Bader doesn’t quite meet that standard as Kerr’s trainer/rival Mark Coleman, as while the real-life fighter looks the part, the first-time actor can’t quite keep pace with his veteran co-stars.
Safdie’s past hits may weigh on The Smashing Machine at times, as the breathless, urgent energy of Good Time or Uncut Gems isn’t on display here. However, he creates a vivid canvas for Blunt and Johnson’s gripping performances, showing that there may be yet another act to the muscle-bound actor’s fascinating career.
★★★★
In UK cinemas from October 3rd/ Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader / Dir: Benny Safdie / Entertainment Film Distributors / 15
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