The Smashing Machine is a biographical sports drama directed by Benny Safdie and was released on October 3rd, 2025. Starring Dwayne Johnson as the two-time UFC heavyweight champion “Mark Kerr” and Emily Blunt as his girlfriend “Dawn Staples”. It was based on a 2002 documentary with the same name that was produced by A24.
This film tells the story of the former UFC fighter Mark Kerr, following his journey through the trials of balancing his sporting career and dealing with his addiction to painkillers. This movie takes us through the highs and lows of professional fighting and the pressure to always win. His addiction is causing a ripple effect throughout his professional and personal life. The brutal era of martial arts and the emotional impact of this time shine through in this film.
The acting in this film is truly powerful and creates an emotional and tense atmosphere through the characters’ actions and dialogue. Dwayne Johnson portrayed his character in a way that made the viewer feel empathy for his struggles but also understand that what he was doing wasn’t right. Often portraying a victim persona while also dealing with the fact that it was his choices that led to this. I enjoyed the way the drug addiction was portrayed as an actual disease, more so than a choice. And it also portrayed how even though he’s the one using it, it also affects the people around them. In this case, that would be Emily Blunt’s character “Dawn Staples,” who in this film is the main character’s girlfriend. In this film, she takes on a caretaker kind of role for Mark, who is dealing with his rehabilitation, and tends to ignore her own needs for the sake of her boyfriend. It shows the real fear and love that goes into a relationship like this and how it can take a toll on a person’s mental health. Later on, at the end of the movie, we see Mark laughing and smiling after he had just lost a match, which, up until recently, he had never lost before. This shows how, after all the trials he had gone through, he had finally learned that losing is just a part of life and that he would be able to move forward without having to win them all.
Overall, I think this was a great film that really delved into the true lives of some athletes and how letting the pressure of winning get into your head can affect you for the rest of your life. How sacrifice behind the cameras can go unnoticed. And how if you want to make yourself better, you can’t do it alone. If you’re someone who enjoys introspective and intense movies dealing with deep and intense personal turmoil, then this movie should be at the top of your watch list.
