Everyone with two eyes and a heart can smell what The Rock and A24 are cooking: dramatic performance respectability finally due Dwayne Johnson’s way.
He’s not playing himself here (save for the late-game head-save). Quite literally, Johnson has transformed into pioneering UFC Champion Mark “The Smashing Machine” Kerr—the soft-spoken, contradictory fighter who dominated all challengers in the ring (until he didn’t), but couldn’t quite wrangle his domestic woes.
Subtle and splendid makeup also helps Johnson jettison out of the frame, and the real-life Kerr roar between and during visceral depictions of crippling opioid dependency and shouting matches at the home office.
It’s these scenes, “Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan says, that make you feel like “you shouldn’t be watching.” The film possesses a behind-the-scenes sheen without merely replicating the 2002 documentary that tackles the same 1997–2000-set cocktail of cocksure-fire triumph and turbulence.
Blunt particularly breaks hearts as Kerr’s chaotic partner Dawn Staples—so strong are the shackles that bind her to Kerr’s demons that she is somehow blind to her own beauty, importance to Kerr, and importance in general. Dawn grounds Mark to this Earth that tends to shake with his every waking movement, hence the earned status of his titular nicknamesake.
This sports movie turns gritty 1970s John Cassavetes joint real quick in all scenes wherein this duo tops the call sheet, thanks to the intimately interested lens of writer-producer-director Benny Safdie.
He’s been creatively liberated in his own right, originating as one-half of the New York indie brotherly batterymates that brought you throwback, knee-slapping heartstoppers such as “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems.”
Given Safdie’s explosive track record, “The Smashing Machine” is almost rendered subversive: a measured treasure.
“I want them to feel good, leaving the theater… If this guy can go through all that stuff and be okay, like that’s the greatest thing in the world,” Safdie said along the marketing push.
“The person who’s next to you, you don’t know what’s going on, so just give them the benefit of the doubt,” he continued. “I think we need that even now these days, with everything going on.”
If you haven’t heard it by now, Safdie’s gone solo with an affirmative bang.
Next move’s yours, Josh Safdie/“Marty Supreme”—this Christmas.