2 out of 5 MMA Matches (Has Some Good Moments, But is Overall Bad)
The Smashing Machine is one of those biopics with all the pieces to succeed on paper, but fumbles in execution. It has one half of the Safdie Brothers (Uncut Gems) directing, writing, and editing, a true story in its subject, and Dwayne Johnson stretching his dramatic muscles to good effect, but is sadly let down by the script and direction. What we get is a fighting movie with just as much marital squabbling as there are brutal punches, watching 2 good performances you wish were in a better film.
Taking place from 1997-2000, MMA fighter Mark Kerr (A nearly unrecognizable Dwayne Johnson) is the best of the best, beloved by his audience, undefeated in the ring, and supported by his girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt) and friend/fellow fighter Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader). However, Kerr hides an ever-increasing opioid addiction that’s slowly bringing him down, worsened when he loses a fight for the first time. Mark must now sober up, get back in he game, and realize how dire his home life really is to defeat his demons in and outside the ring.
The Smashing Machine has a few things going for it. Firstly, it got me interested in this era of MMA, and second, it gave action star Dwayne Johnson the opportunity to show his dramatic side. I’ve followed Johnson’s acting career for some time, so seeing him play out of his normal wheelhouse was enjoyable even though the movie itself was a drag. Emily Blunt is also strong and as effervescent as ever, but her and Johnson are saddled with underwritten characters whose toxic traits feed each other and thus bicker like it’s Jerry Springer. Benny Safdie the director and writer needed to tell Benny Safdie the editor to tighten the pacing up, and much of the leads’ dialogue is shrill to the point that I stepped out for some air.
MMA fighter Ryan Bader does well as Mark Coleman, the fights are pretty brutal, and Johnson keeps up Kerr’s unique voice and accent about 98% of the time. I wish he had played up Kerr’s overconfidence more in his performance early on and that he and Dawn felt more fleshed-out, but I appreciate Johnson playing a more vulnerable character and hope this leads to more dramatic fare with scripts as strong as he is. His look here also reminded me of those creepy Polar Express kids early on, but I got used to over time. The Smashing Machine shows Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt in top fighting form, but is let down by an underwritten script and slow pacing. Rent it if you’re a fan of Johnson, skip it otherwise.
Rated R For Language and Some Drug Abuse