Official Trailer
Our Review
- Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Whitney Moore
- October 3rd 2025
- 123
- Benny Safdie
Dwayne Johnson plays MMA fighter Mark Kerr in his first major dramatic role.
After making a name for himself in comedies and action blockbusters, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson finally shows off his dramatic chops in The Smashing Machine.
Based on the 2002 documentary of the same name, Benny Safdie’s biographical sports drama tells the story of wrestler and MMA fighter Mark Kerr (Johnson).
It focuses on a specific slice of his life, particularly honing in on his tumultuous relationship with Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt), his addiction to painkillers, and his friendship with fellow fighter Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader).
If you’re expecting a crowd-pleasing biopic that hits the typical sports movie beats, you will be disappointed. Writer/director Safdie is more interested in Kerr’s life outside of the ring, and he takes a subtle, understated approach with his highs and lows instead of playing them up for dramatic purposes.
You have to respect Safdie for deliberately avoiding the cliches and conventions of the...
