Writer/Director: Benny Safdie
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt and Ryan Bader
‘A Brilliant Biopic’
Wrestling is a great profession that has achieved a huge fan following. Watching wrestlers without a flaw achieving the iron claw has always left audiences in state of awe. From a personal point-of-view, I find experiences of wrestlers easy to relate to. At an early age, I developed strong bonds with a grandfather obsessed with wrestlers that had courage. Watching athletes with raging bull temper wrestle was an activity he considered special. His heart would often pound in loud excitement whenever he got to watch competitive wrestling matches he considered high-quality entertainment. He would always feel a strong need to see world-famous boxers with a strong creed succeed. Watching WWE became a way for me to bond with a grandfather whom I loved dearly. Without a doubt, he was passionate about seeing his favourite wrestlers achieve a knockout. It didn’t take long before I bonded with a grandfather that loved intense matches in which wrestlers competed. However, terminal illness brought his love for the wrestling profession to a closure. When my grandmother passed away from Cancer, my grandpa lost interest in the profession of a wrestler. Following heartbreaking passing of my grandma, my grandfather lost all interest in seeing wrestlers in the media. As his life became a constant struggle, my grandpa lost passions for witnessing athletes wrestle. Rocky obstacles of death impacted his appreciations for a strong profession that he had once loved dearly. Years later, I treasure memories of a grandfather appreciating the competitive life of a wrestler.
As someone treasuring memories of a grandfather that loved seeing wrestlers on the big-screen, I adored “The Smashing Machine”. Released in 2025, Benny Safdie’s movie honoured an iconic wrestler in American history. Packed with breathtaking wrestling, engaging storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s a spectacular sports biopic. At the centre of it all is an incredible performance by Dwayne Johnson, who embodies a real-life wrestler facing tension. Although “The Smashing Machine” is engaging, it isn’t a flawless film. Its unevenly paced, and builds to a formulaic ending. That being said, it offers engaging entertainment that will satisfy fans of wrestling.
Based on true events, “The Smashing Machine” tells the story of a competitive wrestler that sought to be seen. Dwayne Johnson portrays Mark Kerr, a dedicated MMA fighter with strong devotion towards his profession. Assisted by his supportive wife Dawn (Emily Blunt), Kerr seeks success in a competitive profession. However, Kerr’s dreams are forever shattered when he experiences pain medication addiction causing disaster. As all the odds are stacked against his favour, Kerr soon questions whether it’s possible to be a successful wrestler.
Benny Safdie is fascinated with themes of anxiety. His award-winning movie “Good Time” captured bank robbers having a good time seeking to commit an intricate robbery. With “The Smashing Machine”, however, Safdie crafted his first wrestling drama. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to honour the legacy of a legendary wrestler in UFC, but he succeeded tremendously. Using captivating cinematography, Safdie captures a wrestler embarking on a journey to achieve victory. Evoking John G. Avildsen’s “Rocky”, Safdie effectively uses training montages to capture a wrestler embarking on a treacherous journey. For instance, training montages elevate the wrestling scene. During this unforgettable scene, Kerr trains for an upcoming wrestling competition showcasing his love for the profession. It brought back fond memory of a grandfather that adored wrestling competitions that had a huge impact on his identity. Training montages are tricky techniques. As Ryan Coogler’s “Creed” suggested, training montages elevate boxing movies. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through breathtaking visuals, Safdie celebrates wrestling.
Another admirable aspect of “The Smashing Machine” that merits recognition is the production. Evoking Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull”, Safdie effectively uses sound-design to capture marriages of wrestlers that decline. Whether it’s deafening sounds of glass breaking or wrestlers shouting, Safdie effectively uses diegetic sounds to capture wrestler marriages that face disaster. For instance, diegetic sounds elevate the argument scene. During this unforgettable scene, Kerr has an intense argument with his wife over his responsibilities as a commemorated wrestler. It reminded me of my grandfather’s pessimistic attitude after his wife died leaving him emotionally devastated. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. Nala Sinephro’s commemorated music is key to the success of the movie. It gives the movie a tense atmosphere capturing the heavy burden that wrestlers bear. Through phenomenal production, Safie honours the wrestling profession.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “The Smashing Machine” is a film about wrestling that’s compelling. The film is beautifully written, and effectively uses silence to capture wrestlers enduring a traumatic experience. Inspired by Sean Durkin’s “Iron Claw”, Safdie effectively uses silence to capture wrestlers that suffer from a fatal flaw. Throughout the movie, Kerr experiences silence after he has been defeated in wrestling tournaments. For instance, silence elevates the wrestling defeat scene. During this unforgettable scene, Kerr faces silence refusing to talk with his wife after losing wrestling matches. It reminded me of my grandfather’s grief losing interest in wrestling following his wife’s devastating passing. Silence is a tricky technique to use. As John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place” suggested, silence elevates horror movies about apocalypse. Nevertheless, it works immensely. Through a spectacular screenplay, Safdie honours wrestlers today.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Dwayne Johnson delivers one of the greatest performances of his career as Mark Kerr. Johnson achieved recognition for playing courageous heroes in action movies. With “The Smashing Machine”, however, he took on his most complex role. It isn’t easy to embody a legendary wrestler, but he succeeds tremendously. This is the actor unlike you’ve ever seen him before: intense, emotional and vulnerable in his most iconic role. Evoking Mickey Rourke in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler”, Johnson embodied a fierce wrestler that is under intense pressure. With riveting expressions, he embodies angst, determination and resentments of a wrestler facing competitions. It’s a phenomenal performance from an underrated actor.
While the movie is mainly a stunning showcase for Dwayne Johnson, the supporting cast is also sensational and worthy of appreciation. Emily Blunt is extraordinary, capturing the compassionate nature of a wife seeking to support wrestlers achieving a victory. Ryan Bader is remarkable, capturing the bravery of a manager that seeks to care for the mental health of a wrestler. Lastly, Bas Rutten merits appreciation. As a wrestling manager, he brings wisdom to the movie.
Although “The Smashing Machine” is a riveting wrestling biopic, it isn’t a flawless film. If there’s a minor shortcoming to the movie, it lacks engaging pacing. Safdie’s decision to integrate subplots into the movie about Kerr’s downtrodden marriage is bold but hinders the pacing. Due to this faulty decision, scenes capturing Kerr’s tense interactions with his fussy wife aren’t as engaging as his wrestling journey. As Craig Gillepsie’s “I, Tonya” suggested, subplots about abusive marriages elevate commemorated ice skating movies. Moreover, the film lacks a compelling ending. It’s a formulaic conclusion that fails to bring the movie towards a satisfying resolution. Whereas this ending elevated Gavin O’Connor’s “Warrior”, it clashes with the serious tone of this movie. Therefore, “The Smashing Machine” can’t quite honour wrestlers that are mean.
Nevertheless, fans of wrestling will definitely appreciate “The Smashing Machine” and so would movie-goers seeking exhilarating entertainment. A riveting wrestling drama, it proves stories of wrestlers are well worth telling in Cinema.
Nearly 60 years after Mark Kerr became an iconic wrestler that changed the world forever, it’s a riveting reminder that inspiring stories of wrestlers that overcome all odds stacked against their favour are worth telling in movies audiences treasure.
As strong as Mark Kerr’s desire to be a successful wrestler, it has motivated me to move on several years after ending my relationship with a grandfather that faced the frightening consequences of Cancer treasuring heartwarming memories of a commemorated relative that inspired me to accomplish my dream of being a successful writer.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 