The Story: A Niche-Specific Biopic
Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine: My first note is on the story itself: I wanted something more. Obviously, it’s based on a true story, so you can’t inflate the events, but I just didn’t think there was enough here to grab a general audience.
This is what brings me to say that I think this film is very genre and niche specific. Those who are truly going to enjoy this film are the people who already love the sport: the UFC fans, the MMA enthusiasts, and those who are into jiu-jitsu and all that comes with it. If you love the sport, you’ll probably really love this film because you’ll be invested in the backstory.
It’s similar to how I wouldn’t go see a Taylor Swift concert film because I’m not a “Swifty”—I wouldn’t be able to connect with it, and I don’t really care for it. This is the feeling I was getting from The Smashing Machine: I didn’t quite understand why a film like this was even made for a wider audience.
The Acting: Good, But Not Oscar-Worthy
Let’s get into the cast.
Emily Blunt plays Mark Kerr’s girlfriend, Dawn, but I wasn’t entirely sure I believed in the character. I just didn’t sense that she was taking the role far enough to make it a truly dramatic performance.
Then there is Dwayne Johnson. The trailers were hyping this up as a vast, dramatic turn for him, with people even calling it “Oscar worthy.” Frankly, this isn’t a far-fetched character for him. This is a role he completely understands: a big guy who is a wrestler and is playing a wrestler.
There were moments I thought he was brilliant, but then there were moments where I don’t think he was given enough to even show what he could do. Maybe that was purposeful, or maybe they didn’t want to give him more to lean into. Regardless, it wasn’t what others were saying about it to me. I thought he was good, but when you look at someone like him in a role he completely understands, and then compare it to a truly transformative performance, like a Sean Penn in One Battle After Another (a similar dramatic turn for a wrestler), I just don’t see the “Oscar-worthy” conversation for this character. I will say this, however: this is the best acting I have ever seen this man do.
For me, Ryan Bader was the best out of everyone. I think he leaned into the role of Mark Coleman perfectly. It felt very natural, and I was genuinely rooting for him in all of this.
Overall, the acting is good, but I do not think it’s Oscar-worthy acting.
Technical Elements: Wonky Cinematography and Out-of-Time Details
I had a few issues with the technical aspects of the film.
First, the music felt completely off for the entire film. That was not the music of that time period. I didn’t get it—was the director just stuck in the 80s? Even the clothing didn’t feel like the late 90s.
The color grading, I understand, and I’m okay with that choice, but the cinematography as a whole felt wonky. At times, it was honestly making me feel sick. The camera work was very erratic; it almost felt like an 80s music video being shot. A lot of the film felt like B-roll—just following him around, watching him lift weights. Even the moments in the ring were fast-paced cuts, and I wasn’t a huge fan of that style.
Final Thoughts
I truly wanted to like this film. I wanted to love it. I’m not hating on it by any means, and I think it is a good film to go see. I walked out entertained and feeling like, “Okay, that was decent.”
However, I went into it with the surrounding hype, and I was let down a little bit. I’m giving it a solid 3 out of 5 stars, which I think is a good rating for this movie. I just wanted more story, and I wanted to be able to connect with the characters in some way, and I simply was not able to do that. Again, that’s probably just because I’m not a fan of this sport at all.
Go check it out now in theaters. I do think it’s worth a watch, but keep your expectations in check!
