The Smashing Machine

The Smashing Machine

Released October 3, 2025

Written and Directed by Benny Safdie

* No Spoilers *

“Winning is the best feeling there is…you feel like a god.” These are words of the titular pioneer mixed martial artist, Mark “The Smashing Machine” Kerr. Written, directed, and edited by Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems), The Smashing Machine is a dramatic, documentary-style biopic about Kerr’s troubled and prolific career between 1997 and 2000, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Emily Blunt.

This film explores the highs and lows, including the challenges of his personal life, his addiction to opiate painkillers, and the brutality of the sport. That opening monologue is a sharp contrast to how far things spiral throughout the film. This is a heavy and raw portrait of addiction, denial, and struggle. Highlighting the tragedy of trauma and how it’s inflicted not only on the addict but also their loved ones. As a character study, this is an honest and at times contemptible depiction of Kerr. Far from a heroic tough guy, he is shown with tremendous emotional fragility despite being a fighter in peak physical condition. The outward strength and stature are in sharp contrast to the frailty of a coddled man-child with a sensitive “tummy”.

While not a history piece about early MMA, there is some commentary on the sport itself. Neither condemnation nor praise, the movie recognizes its place as a skilled and challenging sport but also acknowledges the glorification of violence. One of my favourite scenes has Kerr and his girlfriend watching a demolition derby. Cars crash into each other, repeated devastating blows, the colour commentary rolling as fans watch on with a lust for destruction. His girlfriend cheers at the spectacle, while Kerr looks on in horror, reflecting on what he does in the ring.

Safdie is a talented director known for powerfully portraying chaos, anxiety, and tension. The Smashing Machine opens with a monologue in Kerr’s soft-spoken and gentle voice, juxtaposed with the brutal violence on screen. At first this feels slow and meandering, at times even kind of dull. Much of the film is a slice-of-life story, showing mundane everyday moments, but building to the upcoming drama. That initial stable, slow pace, once lulling and soothing, makes the later chaos and fractures even more pronounced by contrast. Even then, the dramatic bursts are not overblown, they’re shown in short flashes, opting for realism and authenticity rather than theatrics.

That is not to say this is a boring film. It’s filled with a consistent tension that creeps up on you. The dread and anticipation are palpable, creating a disconcerting feeling, like a powder keg waiting to be lit. Once that fuse starts going, we just wait for the worst to happen. That quiet tension and the worry for the characters is probably the strongest aspect of the film.

The realism comes from how this is filmed entirely in a handheld documentary style. Think of The Office without the interviews and comedy, you are a fly on the wall. There are several moments where it feels like they used a camcorder from the 90s. Whether it’s the zoom-ins or the jittering video, this mimics the aesthetic and immerses you in the story and firmly places you in the time period. There are still dramatic and deliberate cinematic choices: some great framing for the intense moments, a striking use of halo-like lens flares when Kerr likely suffers a head injury, and one beautiful long-take oner that follows Kerr walking back to the dressing room. One of the best shots in the film, creating a devastating feeling of loneliness and defeat.

The dynamic between Johnson (Black Adam) and Blunt (Oppenheimer) as Kerr’s girlfriend, Dawn Staples, is incredible. It is charged and volatile, with the chaotic and toxic dynamic shifting between affection, worry, and resentment. Rather than having one or the other be the main source of drama, they’re both broken people who are faulted as much as they are at fault.

This is Johnson’s best performance by far, and I am genuinely impressed that he could pull this off. He is vulnerable, tender, and pitiful. Not just a cheap mimicry of Kerr, he is actually embodying the character with genuine pain and frustration. Though the facial prosthetics and makeup are a bit excessive and jarring Johnson’s physique is striking. Kerr is currently 56 years old and Johnson is 53, yet he’s playing Kerr between the ages of 29 and 32. The fact that he can pass for someone half his age is remarkable on its own. I know there’s been buzz about this performance being Oscar-worthy, but I think its strength is more due to Johnson letting go and allowing a fantastic director like Benny Safdie to take him to the next level.

Emily Blunt is the real standout. Despite her track record for brilliant acting, this is particularly resonant. Blunt tackles a complex character and plays sympathetic, chaotic, and broken with balanced nuance. She feels like a real person with faults and flaws, but also suffering herself. Blunt’s performance masterfully balances vulnerability and cruelty, straddling a fine line between a hurt person and the one who hurts others. If anyone in this film deserves an Oscar nomination for acting, it’s certainly Emily Blunt.

There are many appearances from actual fighters, like Bas Ruten, Kerr’s trainer, who plays himself despite being 25 years older. Mark Coleman, Kerr’s friend, training partner, and MMA legend in his own right, is played by another MMA fighter, Ryan Bader. Bader is the main supporting actor in the movie and has significant screen time. Casting a real fighter brings authenticity, but some of the dramatic scenes suffer and might have landed better with a professional actor. Johnson’s chemistry with Blunt is electric, yet his scenes with Bader feel noticeably muted.

The film has masterful sound design, even compared to this year’s large action blockbusters. It’s some of the most remarkable sound design of the year, not for how bombastic it is but for its subtlety. Probably not a big deal for most audiences, but for me it was mind-blowing how well-mixed and presented the sound was, with one glaring exception. The foley work for the punch effects was bizarre, unnatural, and sounded a bit too much like it was a foley artist squishing tomatoes rather than what we expect from a ‘realistic’ punch.

The music is also stellar, with incredible needle-drops, but also some that feel a bit cliche, like “I Did It My Way.” The original score is phenomenal. I loved the use of jazzy drum solos played over the fight scenes. It’s uneasy and creates an obviously intentional feeling of dissonance. There’s a pulsing synth that persists through the film. It’s lulling and hypnotic, but sharply juxtaposed with a blaring siren that emerges during tense moments.

While Safdie’s film explores heavy themes with deeper dramatic effect, the plot, dialogue, structure, and even most of the scenes are direct recreations of the 2022 documentary of the same name. As such, using the documentary style for this film feels like a strange choice. I can’t help but feel that the film was less necessary and more an excuse to show off Safdie’s direction and give Johnson a film where he could attempt serious dramatic acting. Luckily The Smashing Machine is so great at the later two that its existence is justified. So if you are looking for the story of Mark Kerr and the early years of MMA, watch the documentary. However, if you want to see some great acting and stellar filmmaking, the film adaptation is worth checking out.

7/10 - Far from a traditional sports film and not quite your typical biopic. The Smashing Machine is unique and bold, with unconventional handheld cinematography, great acting, and a brilliantly tense dynamic between its leads. A story of contrasts: highs with lows, affection with contempt, and fragility with strength. Did Kerr’s story need a retelling after the documentary? Probably not, but it’s hard to argue against this film’s brilliant direction and performances.

Fans of The Ultimate Fighter will love that they have the same cardboard doors on set here (LOL)

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