Based on its lackluster box office performance and mixed response from critics, Dwayne Johnson's bid to branch out and expand his acting repertoire in The Smashing Machine seems like a failure, but The Rock should not be dispirited. Even though Benny Safdie's 2025 film did not land with the same acclaim and cultural buzz as his brother's star-driven vehicle, Marty Supreme, this quiet sports drama about MMA pioneer Mark Kerr (Johnson) was the exact refresh the global superstar needed. Johnson's performance is strikingly vulnerable and emotionally heartfelt, to the point that it feels like you're watching him unveil his soul on screen. In one scene, after Mark is hospitalized after a drug overdose, Johnson channeled traumatic events from his past, both of which involve the struggles and agony of his parents.

Dwayne Johnson Recalled Two Traumatic Memories of His Parents When Filming 'The Smashing Machine'

The Smashing Machine, which co-stars Emily Blunt and a slew of non-professional actors from the MMA world, is told through a documentary-like intimacy, whether we're watching Mark put his body on the line in the ring or partake in domestic quarrels with his partner, Dawn Staples (Blunt). A far cry from his work with his brother, Josh Safdie, including Good Time and Uncut Gems, Safdie strips away the manic, stress-inducing fervor synonymous with the brothers' filmography for a more reserved, gentle examination of fame, pursuit of greatness, and the duality of a man with a soft heart who makes a living beating people to a pulp.

On his Instagram, Johnson shared a clip of Matt Damon talking about The Smashing Machine as a guest on The Joe Rogan Experience. Damon, recalling a conversation he had with the professional wrestler-turned-actor, revealed on the podcast that one of Johnson's most devastating moments on screen, Mark Kerr opening up about his drug abuse with his close confidant, Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader), was pulled from harsh memories. Lying in the hospital after a near-fatal overdose of performance-enhancing drugs, Kerr tries to minimize the severity of his addiction. According to Damon and confirmed by Johnson, the manner of Kerr's deflection was taken directly from Dwayne's father, pro wrestler Rocky Johnson, who constantly rejected the legitimacy of his alcohol abuse.

Dwayne Johnson's Personal Expression of Raw Emotions in 'The Smashing Machine'

This scene in The Smashing Machine concludes with Kerr, following a long-winded rationale behind his drug use and belittling his addiction, pulling the bedsheets over his head and crying, unloading years of emotional repression in front of Coleman. This heartbreaking touch represented a painful memory for Johnson, as this was his mother's gesture upon learning of her cancer diagnosis. Say what you want about The Smashing Machine, but you can't deny its raw emotionality. The testosterone and intensity usually found in a sports movie are replaced by Safdie's signature anxiousness. No matter how many times he steps in the ring, Mark's true fight will always be with his internal demons that deliver blows harder than a punch.

Dwayne Johnson came to prominence as The Rock, the cocky, loudmouth superstar who spoke in the third person during the heyday of the WWE's Attitude Era. As a movie star, Johnson, oftentimes to the detriment of his filmography, consistently portrays himself as a humble, wholesome role model for society. The dichotomy of Johnson's personas registers on the screen in The Smashing Machine, as Safdie observes the bizarre tranquility of his manner of speaking and body language in contrast to his barbaric fighting tactics. Johnson channeling two dark personal memories in the hospital scene underlines the internal nature of his performance, a side to him that had never been explored in any of his previous star vehicles.

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Mark does everything he can to restrain himself, best exemplified in a scene where he appeals to the ruling judge over a missed foul on his opponent for performing an illegal maneuver in the ring. He's constantly trying to prove to everyone that he's not just an aggressive musclehead, as seen in his fascination with a houseplant that leaves Dawn perplexed. In a doctor's waiting room, he describes his line of work as spiritual while instructing a young boy to keep himself out of harm's way.

The Smashing Machine, based on a 2002 documentary of the same name, stays true to its roots by capturing the unflinching story of Mark Kerr and Dawn Staples with a candid, unnerving attachment to these people and their darkest thoughts. Bringing that effect to life in the fullest form is Dwayne Johnson, who should not be deterred by the film's disappointing financial returns, and he should keep pursuing his rich psychological inner world to unlock even more profound dramatic turns.

The Smashing Machine is available to stream on HBO Max in the U.S.

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The Smashing Machine

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Drama

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Release Date

October 1, 2025

Runtime

123 minutes

Director

Benny Safdie

Writers

Benny Safdie

Producers

Beau Flynn, David Koplan, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Eli Bush, Benny Safdie

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Cast

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  Dwayne Johnson

  Mark Kerr
• 
  Emily Blunt

  Dawn Staples

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