In this new film from director Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems) Johnson plays Mark Kerr a wrestler who turned his attention to mixed martial arts in the early of the UFC back in the early 1990s. Kerr was a formidable opponent who earned the nickname The Smashing Machine by the fact that he won most of his early MMA fights by pinning his opponent to the canvas and then literally smashing their head with his fists, knees or even headbutts.
His success and unbeaten record in the US soon saw him and his good friend and training buddy Mark Coleman (played by UFC fighter Ryan Bader) accepting fights in Japan as part of what was known as the Pride Tournament.
It is while fighting in Japan though that Kerr’s personal problems first start. The fights in Japan are not as easy as the fights back in the US and in order to keep at a fighting level and to deal with the pain Kerr becomes addicted to pain medication.
This addiction, grouped together with the toxic relationship that he has with his partner Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt – Edge Of Tomorrow), has a crippling affect on Kerr that not only threatens to railroad his career but places him in the fight of his life.
Many will think okay Johnson is playing a former wrestler turned fighter – yeah that fits with his own life so why is this performance being talked about awards? The answer to that is Johnson doesn’t simply just ‘play’ this character he somehow becomes a method actor and completely morphs into Kerr.
To say that Johnson is unrecognisable in this role is an under-statement. Yes he wears a wig but he also reveals under all that layer of muscle has been a serious actor waiting for a role like this for years. One of my colleagues said to me after the premiere screening that it took him a quarter of the way into the film to realise that it was Johnson in the lead role – not only because of the way he looks but because he delivers acting talent in spades here.
It is also isn’t like Safdie lets Johnson off easy here. The screenplay for The Smashing Machine puts Johnson through the wringer. Not only does he have to deliver during the fight sequences but he has tough, emotional scenes with Blunt and then also has to be at the top of his game to portray a character that is nearing breaking point as he faces the reality of a painful drug addiction.
If you think of some of the scenes that Mickey Rourke had to deliver in his Oscar winning performance in The Wrestler then you on par with what Johnson delivers here in The Smashing Machine.
Aside from Johnson’s performance the film is also lifted by the fact that in order not to make this ‘just another fighting movie’ Safdie brings an artistic side to the film. At times the natural approach to the film that he brings makes the audience feel like they are watching a documentary or reality TV while Safdie’s writing style makes this more a film driven by the characters rather than resting its laurels on impressive fight sequences.
The result of that is that this becomes a film that accessible to people that don’t know a thing about MMA or fighting in general – you don’t have to be a sports fan to know what it is like to overcome personal obstacles in your life.
And while most of the acting plaudits here will be heaped on Johnson, it would be wrong to write about this film and not acknowledge the work of Blunt and Bader. Blunt is amazing at playing a character that most of the audience will grow to hate while Bader shows that if he hears Hollywood calling once his MMA career is over then acting is certainly something that he is a good at. Most who watch this film will not even realise that he is a fighter and not an actor.
When it comes to award season certainly expect for there to be whispers around The Smashing Machine and Dwayne Johnson. This well-written film turns out to be the perfect vehicle to show that there is more to Johnson’s acting career than he has ever showed us before.
The Smashing Machine is currently screening in Phuket and is yet to be rated.
4/5 Stars
David Griffiths has been working as a film journalist for over 25 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. He currently hosts a film podcast called The Popcorn Conspiracy. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes accredited reviewer and is an alternate judge for the Golden Globes Awards. You can follow him at Facebook: SubcultureEntertainmentAus.