Dwayne Johnson has said that he took the role in “The Smashing Machine,” opening Friday, to dive deep into a role that was far from his usual muscle-bound, kid-friendly heroism. While there might not have been one film that pushed Johnson to his career catharsis, it could have been something like “Black Adam,” the $200 million superhero disaster from 2022 that was supposed to be a franchise, until it wasn’t.
And who better to guide Johnson into a world of Oscar-bait credibility than director/writer Benny Safdie, half of the Safdie brothers team that made “Uncut Gems” with Adam Sandler? That it comes from indie favorite A24 Studios makes it even more credible. Still, because of Johnson’s presence, Benny’s solo directorial feature debut may reach an audience that doesn’t normally turn out for a film with the Safdie stamp on it.
It’s not that Johnson isn’t still as big as four men in “The Smashing Machine” or that he isn’t still willing to dole out a beatdown like it’s lunch. It’s the context and style.
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‘The Smashing Machine’
Rated R: For language, some drug abuse
Running time: 124 minutes
Where: Opens Friday throughout Houston
★★★1/2 (out of 5)
Here, thanks to prosthetics, he’s virtually unrecognizable as Mark Kerr, a real-life ’90s-era pioneer in the world of mixed-martial arts who had a troubled personal life, including a very rocky relationship with his high-strung girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt). And with its gritty, hand-held look, “The Smashing Machine” virtually screams to be taken seriously by those who wouldn’t know “Jumaji” from “Jungle Cruise.”
For the most part, it works. Though Safdie doesn’t radically reinvent the sports-movie form as some might have expected, the rather predictable “The Smashing Machine” is held together by its strong central performances, including UFC fighter Ryan Bader as Kerr’s loyal best friend and sometime competitor Mark Coleman.
As the film starts, Kerr is a former college wrestler who is starting to make waves in Japan in the then novel world of mixed-martial arts. His sheer brute strength combined with his string of victories leads to a feeling of invincibility followed by the inevitable downfall and a problem with opiods and painkillers that upends his life.
This image released by A24 shows Emily Blunt, right, and Dwayne Johnson in a scene from “The Smashing Machine.” (A24 via AP) (Associated Press)
Johnson acquits himself well, displaying a surprising vulnerability underneath all the make-up and showing off a genuinely volatile chemistry with Blunt who is outstanding. The film’s high point is an argument the two have, with Bruce Springsteen’s “Jungleland” playing in the background, that packs as much of a punch as any of Kerr’s head-slamming matches. And no door in the couple’s Phoenix-area home seems to be safe from destruction when these two are going at it.
Speaking of which, the bouts are well-staged, with every kick sending a shock wave through the system. Enough of the fights in the ring are shown to satisfy those who are more interested in the pummeling power of the sport as opposedto Kerr’s many domestic woes.
While it might seem as if “The Smashing Machine” is spiraling into the ultimate tragedy, it’s reassuring to see the real and apparently content Kerr, still very much alive, making an appearance in the film.
This movie doesn’t break new ground, even in its focus on a personality that many outside of MMA fandom might not know. Kerr’s life has been on the screen before. It was the subject of John Hyams’ acclaimed 2002 documentary, also called “The Smashing Machine.” Some Kerr fans might suggest that if you want the real story, start there. So, in that sense, this fictionalized take might seem unnecessary.
But, as a calling card for both Safdie and Johnson’s ambitions, “The Smashing Machine” doesn’t tap out.
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