by Jeffery Rahming, Contributing Writer
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is one of the most successful movie stars the world has ever seen. He’s been famous for decades, seen the world, kissed the babies, and can’t stop pretending like he really wants to run for president. But The Smashing Machine asks the question: Can The Rock actually act? Yes, he can give a killer smolder and rile up a wrestling crowd with no effort, but emotional depth is not something he’s ever attempted, outside of maybe a few cute moments in his family comedies. Johnson has not hidden that The Smashing Machine exists to prove he has those depths.
The Smashing Machine is about UFC pioneer Mark Kerr. Kerr was getting kneed in the face before it became an extravagant event the president showed up to, and before the fighters made millions in one night. Back then, mixed martial arts was seen as a brutal exhibition of violence at best, and Kerr and some of the other fighters featured in this movie went a long way in legitimizing it as something more than street fighting in a cage.
Kerr makes for a fascinating character study. This is the story of a nice, gentle guy who also really, really likes to dominate people in the ring. In many ways, it’s a story about contradictions. Kerr seems to love winning more than fighting, and his discomfort with any sort of confrontation outside of the ring is a source of major pain for him.
For those who are going to this to see The Rock punch somebody in the face, but with more blood than usual, this is going to disappoint. Writer/director Benny Safdie is not interested in Kerr the fighter, as much as Kerr the addict. Addicted to drugs, to love, to winning. And in this dark tale of addiction and violence, Johnson really does shine. To say I was skeptical walking in would be an understatement. I was fully prepared for a ham-fisted, overwrought, clearly begging for an Oscar turn from Johnson. But surprisingly, The Smashing Machine gives him a chance to show he is capable of one of the greatest strengths of any actor: subtlety. Which I never would’ve believed he could pull off. From the meek voice to his gentle but increasingly passive-aggressive nature, The Rock almost completely disappears into Kerr. Almost. This is a stellar performance which really proves that Johnson is a highly skilled actor, but I can’t shake the feeling that it is a vanity project just for that purpose. It’s hard to see Johnson as anybody other than himself, even when he’s probably at his absolute best. It often feels like there’s a huge “I want an Oscar” sign flashing above his forehead. But if that is his goal, this is not a total failure by any means. It’s an impressive display of the up-and-down emotions of a high-functioning addict, and to see it coming out of Johnson of all people is quite a revelation. This is definitely a performance worthy of a nomination, though a win is doubtful.
Emily Blunt is almost too good as Kerr’s girlfriend Dawn. The relationship will seem very familiar for anybody who’s been in or seen a toxic relationship, and she nails that specific type of on-again-off-again girlfriend so well. Their whirlwind relationship receives as much, if not more, attention than the tournaments. As great as the acting is in those scenes, the script just goes too far in emphasizing the relationship to the point of kind of souring the whole film. Watching people have petty fights just doesn’t make for an enjoyable watch after a while, even if the actors are fantastic. At times, this starts feeling like Malcolm & Marie, a Netflix film that entertained me but annoyed many, and I can see that same thing happening with audiences here. A lot of people will walk in looking for action, but will instead be treated to a horror movie for children of divorced parents.
Meanwhile, all the MMA scenes feel almost impressionistic. They are all more or less shot the same. and last a maximum of two to three minutes. They’re not bad, but they fall flat. Considering we spend most of the runtime talking about fights, preparing for fights, and arguing over fights, it’s a shame that none of them are exhilarating.
Safdie’s lack of interest in the fighting actually makes for a unique film. I’m not sure anybody else would direct this story in this way. The Smashing Machine is shot and acted realistically, but the editing, sound, and music play together like a hazy dream. It makes for a rather odd experience, but after a while, you get used to it. The pacing is meandering, but it’s mostly the repetitiveness of Blunt and Johnson’s bickering that wears you down after a while. By the fourth time they fight, you want to take some initiative and break up with her yourself. Safdie’s obsession with needle drops is fun at first, but after a while, it gets old that every scene has a corny ‘80s or ‘90s soundtrack blaring behind it. I’d be lying if I said he didn’t give me some new bangers to look up though.
The Smashing Machine probably won’t be an Oscar favorite, which is pretty sad, considering how badly it wants to be. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it is Oscar bait, but it’s clear that for most of the creators on this project, the objective was more to show off than to tell Kerr’s story in the best way possible. With Johnson’s performance and the subject matter, this had the potential to be another Raging Bull. While that might sound crazy, anyone who sees Smashing Machine would say the ingredients for a classic are all here, but the way it’s put together just doesn’t let it get there.
This is a worthwhile watch for the novelty of seeing what I’m sure will go down as one of our biggest movie stars’ best performances. But outside of that, The Smashing Machine just lacks the impact that it wants to hit with. It’s so close to being great, and that makes the fact that it misses the mark all the more disappointing.
Rating: It Was Just Okay
The Smashing Machine is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Jeffery Rahming, and follow him on Letterboxd