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A colossal performance by Dwayne Johnson rises above tame storytelling
| B |
iopics are a surefire way into the hearts of audiences—specifically, those of awards voters; this has been the case for eons, it seems, and the pattern still holds strong. From flicks like Oppenheimer, Gandhi, Lawrence of Arabia, and Schindler’s List, biopics have snagged the attention of moviegoers and history lovers alike, and it’s no secret that they’ve also dominated awards circuits when the season rolls around. Often claiming the grand prize on cinema’s biggest nights—the Oscars, of course, being one of them—there are some films that, upon release, are accused of being “Oscar bait,” or a film solely being made to exist to campaign for its talent and collect awards. Whether or not that can be proven is beside the point, as there could be a case to be made for every movie in the genre. Whether good or bad, this sort of speculation has already been swirling around the latest A24 and Benny Safdie-helmed collaboration with his biographical drama The Smashing Machine.
The Smashing Machine tells the true-life story of one Mark Kerr (played by Dwayne Johnson), a former professional wrestler, martial artist, and UFC legend. The film specifically focuses on his career and life from the years 1997 to 2000, which was a tumultuous time in the athlete’s life as he not only struggled with a serious and life-threatening addiction to opioids but also faced several mental health challenges, career obstacles, and seriously rocky relationship troubles with his girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt).
We follow Kerr as, despite all this, he attempts to climb to the top of professional fighting alongside his good friend and fellow fighter, Mark Coleman, portrayed by real-life UFC champ Ryan Bader, as well as his loyal and supportive coach, played wonderfully by Bas Rutten. Through turmoil and hardship, we trail Kerr as he navigates and paves his own way in the world while also balancing the sport and the people he loves most — all while nonstop in his relentless pursuit of success. But when the throes of addiction, coupled with a roller coaster of a relationship with Dawn really take their toll, Kerr starts to stumble in his career, and it doesn’t take long for the media and even his own fans to start calling him a “has-been.” He starts losing, and badly — taking beatings, freezing mid-fight, and losing focus on what really matters. At this point for Kerr, it was a matter of accepting his own downfall, or begin on the hard and bumpy path to redemption.
Johnson plays the colossally powerful yet gentle giant of a man that is Kerr in a remarkably refreshing way in comparison to other “rough and tumble” sports legends in cinema history. Kerr is ultimately a soft and tender individual — that is, until it’s time to do his thing in the ring, in which case he lets loose a previously hidden ferocity that is frankly terrifying to witness. In a voiceover by Johnson, he explains, as Kerr, that he understands the complexities, the violence, and art of the sport, and even despite getting hurt and risking injury, he fights with no animosity towards his fellow athletes. He’s simply doing his job, and he does it bloody well.
Johnson’s performance of Kerr is perhaps more subdued than many may expect, but this is a good thing for both the film and its protagonist. Positive masculinity is a highlight of the film, as Johnson’s Kerr does not shy away from breaking down in tears, communicating his mental health struggles, or being openly affectionate with his best friend and coach. If one of the men needs a shoulder to cry on, a broad shoulder is immediately offered, gently and with no judgment. This makes the film stand apart from other sports biopics, as the tenderness and vulnerability the men of The Smashing Machine are able to show throughout is worth praise.
Johnson’s unique portrayal of the iconic fighter is made even more impressive by the subtly effective prosthetic work by Academy Award-winning makeup artist Kazu Hiro (Bombshell), who changes his facial structure just enough to transform The Rock into someone else entirely.
The same subtlety cannot be said about Blunt’s performance as on-and-off girlfriend Dawn, as she is directed to play the woman somewhat like a caricature of the classic “manic wife” role. Dawn, as a character, is rather one-dimensional and nothing but obnoxious, as she puts her struggling boyfriend and herself through a number of often selfish screaming matches and repetitive fights that go nowhere and it gets old very fast for both Kerr and us as the audience. Blunt does a fine job doing what we can only assume she was directed to do, but ultimately doesn’t do Dawn any favours, and it’s a shame, as we can be almost certain that the real-life woman this character is based on was more multifaceted than what is represented of her on screen.
Though The Smashing Machine is solid enough in most of its aspects, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before when it comes to plot, story beats, and themes. It almost feels at times that Safdie borrowed entire sequences from the Mark Kerr documentary of the same name for the majority of the first half of the film, in particular. And though Safdie further proves he is undoubtedly a multitalented powerhouse by taking on the roles of writer, editor, producer, and director for this A24 venture, The Smashing Machine is perhaps played a bit too safe and conventional in a way that, without his brother in the picture, is missing a certain risk and grit that could have benefited it greatly.
There’s also an oddly placed, shot-on-IMAX ending featuring the real-life Mark Kerr pursuing a grocery store before giving what can only be described as a Hawaii Five-O Jack Lord-esque wave at the camera from the parking lot. It’s a strange note to choose to end on, that throws the film off at the last second. Even considering this choice, the film doesn’t do anything necessarily wrong, but it also doesn’t do much to stand out in particular. This just ultimately means the biopic settles itself as a solid yet drifting film that is perhaps a good ten minutes too long for its own good. Though meandering and a bit tame, The Smashing Machine is nonetheless a success for all involved, and only time will tell if it receives the flowers it’s undoubtedly chasing come awards season.
– Courtesy: Collider.com
Rating system: *Not on your life * ½ If you really must waste your time ** Hardly worth the bother ** ½ Okay for a slow afternoon only *** Good enough for a look see *** ½ Recommended viewing **** Don’t miss it **** ½ Almost perfect ***** Perfection
