The Smashing Machine

If you are expecting a fighting film, this is not what it’s about.

This film is literally spectating the life of Mark Kerr, this film is about accepting loss, this film is about life.

It left me speechless, in all different sectors, I don’t even know where to start.

The Rock… Dwayne, let me just say, I’ve hated everything about you, about how you act, how you had your contract where you couldn’t lose but today, today you changed my mind, today you proved that under the right direction you are indeed good, and in this, you are spectacular. I’m so glad you wanted moviegoers to take you seriously, because now I am, and I can’t wait to see more, you really stood out.

The cinematography is just breathtaking, Benny Safdie, thank you for that, because this film is pleasant to the eyes, it reminds you of film rather than digital the whole time and the grading is just stunning, and also having most of the film in free hand, chefs kiss.

Emily Blunt brings it on, like she always does, yet in this film I just find it so so so so so good, just overall extremely realistic and she brought on her A game once again, giving one of the best, if not the best performance of her career.

Touching on the story wouldn’t be extremely right since it’s already a real story but let me tell you this, those arguments between the two, relatable, realistic, insane and overall just extremely well written, as the rest of the film is.

Safdie has taken a segment in the life of Kerr, given us raw emotion, the power of loss and how it breaks a man (or a woman), how it affects the ones around you, the drive to take things back to power and gives us the final lesson, after another loss, are you going to fall in to the same cyclical hell, or are you going to act the right way?

This film is about acceptance to yourself, in sports, in relationships with yourself and your significant other.

Overall this was a big, bold, powerful picture that Safdie brought to the game, something new and exciting, a different kind of biopic.

This December, Josh Safdie will be releasing “Marty Supreme” and although I know both brothers are going to crush it, as Benny just did, people will be comparing, and this film is good, this is a film that had people questioning Benny’s sanity for casting someone like The Rock, and he did it. A. BIG. BOLD. STATEMENT.

Lastly, this is something personal, how the hell am I living in a year where, Spike Lee, Jeffrey Wright and Denzel Washington make an unpleasant film (my opinion) and The Rock strives to greatness with acting??? How did this happen? Now I can’t wait to see the new Scorsese Movie with The Rock, yes it’s for real, already announced.

Lmk what you think of the film, no wrong answers, your opinion matters and always will.

I wanted to like it but it really felt like it lacked having any specific plot/arc/messaging. Like its based on his life/a true story….the story just isn’t all that interesting the way the movie tells it. Its well acted but the emotional beats and tone of the movie were not there

Rock Oscar nom coming

7.3/10



08/08/26

5/10 meh

Boring as fuck