Review | The Smashing Machine

There’s nothing wrong with the sound in the auditorium. That is the hum of videotape to take you back in time. Once that glorious standard definition VHS image quality accompanies it, some millennials might find themselves immediately back in their childhood bedrooms or basements glued to a 13” tube TV. This is how The Smashing Machine grabs your attention.

Benny Safdie’s based on a true story looks and feels like a true independent film. The Smashing Machine authentically transports you back to the late 1990’s through combined efforts in production design, costuming, hair and make up, and cinematography.

Knowing nothing about Mark Kerr before stepping into the auditorium, I truly did not know what to expect. And this was actually a great way to be introduced to this world. 

Dwayne Johnson is completely transformed as Mark Kerr in a layered, nuanced performance that he absolutely crushes. Johnson deserves every award nomination and win that comes his way. For a long time now, it has been clear to see that Johnson has significantly more character range within him than what we’ve seen. This performance as Kerr is just the start of what he has to offer.

Emily Blunt plays Dawn Staples with great unbalanced precision. The mood swings that become more unpredictable under the influence are enthralling, making it impossible to turn away. Blunt fuels the couple's chemistry as a constant emotional challenge to Johnson’s quiet and guarded Kerr. From love to shame to rage and more, it’s a roller coaster far from the likes of Jungle Cruise. In both these films, they play off each other with great ease, however, in vastly different ways further demonstrating how far ranging their abilities are as performers.

Ryan Bader gives the sleeper performance that unexpectedly stays with you. Bader plays Mark Coleman, fellow fighter and Kerr’s best friend. The bond Johnson and Bader create on screen is deep and a joy to watch. If only we all could have a friend to us as good as Bader’s Coleman. In particular, the hospital room scene where Coleman confronts Kerr is extremely powerful.

As someone who knew nothing of these real-life characters beforehand, there was much to discover throughout. It’s subtle, but the first third leads you to believe Kerr will be the antagonist of his own story as he battles his addiction to narcotics to treat his pain. You find yourself worried for Staples. Then a turning point: Kerr accepts he has an addiction problem and seeks help to get better. Once this happens you slowly begin to see Staples as the antagonist and find yourself worried for Kerr.

Every character faces their inner demons and they remarkably have each other to help them face it. They each need one another to give them the strength to fight for their own mental health. Even Coleman’s initial apprehension to acknowledge that his best friend has a problem is a fight to overcome.

Ultimately, The Smashing Machine is more of an intimate film than I imagined it would be. Sure, the fights are brutal, but the vulnerability is really all outside the ring.