The Smashing Machine

Benny Safdie, the Venice-award-winning director known for Heaven Knows What and Good Time (10th AFF), seems to have adopted the strategy of a true martial arts master in making his latest film. Like a fighter lurking patiently in the corner of the ring, Safdie lulls us into a false sense of security, only to land a precise, unexpected blow when we least anticipate it. The Smashing Machine might at first appear to be a conventional sports drama, but it brilliantly upends genre clichés. The film chronicles the life of Mark Kerr, an early 21st-century MMA champion, yet Safdie steers clear of the usual spectacle of triumphs and defeats. Instead, with surprising delicacy, he explores the slow fading of a star. Kerr inhabits that poignant space where he can still fight at a high level but no longer has the edge to win tournaments. This nuanced portrayal evokes our sympathy without descending into pity, thanks largely to the exceptional, almost oxymoronic, performance of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Johnson, who has long been fascinated by Kerr’s biography, seizes this role as a chance to break free from his Hollywood action-hero typecast and reveal his depth and vulnerability.