'The Smashing Machine' review: Dwayne Johnson delivers a career-changing performance, but there's one big problem
Key Takeaways
- Dwayne Johnson stars in 'The Smashing Machine' as UFC fighter Mark Kerr, marking a shift toward dramatic roles.
- The film is directed by Benny Safdie, who chose a scattershot narrative approach focusing on Kerr's highs and lows rather than a central goal.
- The lack of a driving narrative causes the film to feel meandering and lacking in momentum.
- The movie handles Kerr's serious issues, like intravenous drug use, too casually, minimizing the perceived severity of his addiction.
- Major struggles, including a near-fatal overdose and rehab, are handled off-screen, resulting in pulled dramatic punches.
American cinema has a rich history of films centered on professional fighters, and Dwayne Johnson is making a serious bid for dramatic credibility with 'The Smashing Machine,' where he plays UFC fighter Mark Kerr. Johnson sheds his typical action-comedy persona for this role, which chronicles the beginning of Kerr's MMA career in the late 1990s, including his time in Pride FC and a tumultuous relationship with Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt). However, writer/director Benny Safdie opts for a scattershot narrative approach, focusing on highs and lows rather than a central goal, which leaves the film feeling meandering and lacking momentum. The movie successfully shies away from typical sports drama clichés, but this is complicated by its handling of Kerr's serious struggles, such as his drug abuse. Safdie presents Kerr's intravenous drug use with a casualness that risks minimizing its severity, and major events like a near-fatal overdose and rehab occur off-screen, limiting the illustration of his battle with addiction. Consequently, despite Johnson's commitment, the film's execution leaves the audience feeling that the dramatic impact of Kerr's struggles is largely muted.
