In the gritty world of mixed martial arts, few stories hit as hard as that of Mark Kerr, the undefeated heavyweight whose life spiraled amid triumphs and addictions. Now, Benny Safdie brings Kerr's tale to the screen in The Smashing Machine, a biopic that premiered to buzz at the Venice Film Festival last month. Starring Dwayne Johnson in a role that's already generating Oscar whispers, the film lands in U.S. theaters on October 3 via A24, just days after its festival debut where it snagged the Silver Lion for Safdie's direction.
Safdie, known for his kinetic collaborations with brother Josh in films like Uncut Gems, steps out solo here, channeling the chaos of Kerr's 1990s UFC heyday. Johnson, bulked up but vulnerably de-glammed under heavy prosthetics, embodies the wrestler-turned-fighter grappling with painkillers and personal demons. Emily Blunt co-stars as Kerr's wife Dawn Staples, adding emotional depth to the ring-side drama. Indeed, the movie draws from a 2002 documentary of the same name, but Safdie amps up the intimacy, blending brutal fight scenes with quieter moments of unraveling.
Critics are largely on board, with Rotten Tomatoes certifying it fresh at around 90 percent. Johnson's performance stands out—raw, restrained, a far cry from his blockbuster persona. However, some reviews note the film's abstract pacing, almost like free-jazz in visual form, which can feel distancing amid the violence. Moreover, Safdie's choice to lean into realism sometimes pulls punches, leaving the narrative more observational than propulsive. Still, at 123 minutes, it clocks in as a solid, if uneven, exploration of glory's underbelly.
Mark Kerr himself, now signed with a new agency post-premiere, has stayed low-key, letting the film speak for his legacy. The production, backed by Seven Bucks and Flynn Picture Co., cost under $50 million, a modest bet for A24's ambitions.
As biopics flood screens chasing redemption arcs, one wonders if The Smashing Machine truly captures the unfixable fractures of real lives.