The Smashing Machine (2025) is a gripping biographical sports drama directed by Benny Safdie, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as MMA legend Mark Kerr. Set in the brutal world of early mixed martial arts, the film dives deep into the rise of a fighter who became both a hero and a cautionary tale. Blending raw intensity with emotional depth, it showcases the physical and psychological toll of a man fighting not just opponents in the ring, but his own inner demons. The movie captures the chaotic, unpolished era of 1990s MMA — a time when the sport was wild, unpredictable, and dangerous. With Safdie’s trademark realism and Johnson’s career-defining performance, The Smashing Machine promises an unflinching look at fame, addiction, and redemption. It’s not just a story about fighting; it’s about survival, identity, and the cost of greatness.
Overview
The Smashing Machine (2025) follows the real-life journey of Mark Kerr, one of the most dominant figures in the early days of mixed martial arts. The film explores his meteoric rise to fame as an unstoppable fighter, earning him the nickname “The Smashing Machine.” Beyond the glory, it delves into his personal struggles — the pressure of success, the pain of addiction, and the toll of living under the weight of constant expectations. Through this lens, the movie paints an unfiltered portrait of the man behind the legend, revealing the vulnerability hidden beneath his brutal exterior.
Set against the raw, unregulated backdrop of 1990s MMA, the story captures both the sport’s chaotic beginnings and the human cost of its evolution. With powerful performances and authentic depictions of the fighting world, The Smashing Machine presents a gripping look at ambition, identity, and redemption. It portrays not only the physical battles fought in the ring but also the emotional wars waged within — making Mark Kerr’s story a powerful reflection on the price of greatness.
Cast and Crew
Director: Benny Safdie
The film The Smashing Machine (2025) is directed by Benny Safdie, known for his intense, character-driven storytelling in films like Uncut Gems and Good Time. Safdie brings his signature realism and emotional rawness to this sports biopic, capturing both the physical brutality and psychological depth of the mixed martial arts world. His direction focuses on human vulnerability, fame, and addiction, crafting a narrative that’s as introspective as it is action-packed.
Lead Actor: Dwayne Johnson
The movie stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Mark Kerr, the legendary MMA fighter nicknamed “The Smashing Machine.” Johnson delivers one of his most transformative performances, stepping away from his typical blockbuster persona to embody a man torn between triumph and self-destruction. His portrayal brings authenticity and emotional gravity, highlighting Kerr’s strength inside the ring and his battles with addiction and identity outside of it.
Lead Actress: Emily Blunt
Emily Blunt plays Dawn Staples, Mark Kerr’s girlfriend, whose role adds emotional depth and humanity to the story. Blunt portrays the personal struggles of loving someone consumed by fame and pain, grounding the film’s chaos with compassion and heartbreak. Her chemistry with Johnson creates an intimate counterbalance to the film’s violent and high-adrenaline moments, showcasing the toll that professional fighting takes on relationships.
Supporting Cast
The supporting cast includes Ryan Bader as Mark Coleman, Bas Rutten as himself, Oleksandr Usyk as Igor Vovchanchyn, Lyndsey Gavin, Satoshi Ishii, James Moontasri, and Yoko Hamamura. Each brings authenticity to the world of early MMA, with several real-life fighters contributing to the gritty realism of the sport’s portrayal. Their performances enrich the narrative, depicting the camaraderie, rivalries, and sacrifices that defined this dangerous era of fighting.
Music Composer: Nala Sinephro
The haunting and atmospheric score is composed by Nala Sinephro, whose experimental soundscapes elevate the film’s emotional intensity. Her music fuses ambient textures with pulsating rhythms that mirror the raw energy of combat and the inner turmoil of its central character. The soundtrack helps maintain a visceral, immersive experience throughout the film, reinforcing both tension and introspection.
Production Company
The Smashing Machine is produced by A24, Out for the Count, Seven Bucks Productions, and Magnetic Fields Entertainment. This powerhouse collaboration blends A24’s reputation for bold, boundary-pushing cinema with Seven Bucks Productions’ mainstream appeal and authenticity in athletic storytelling. The joint effort ensures a balance between cinematic artistry and raw, physical realism.
Run Time: 2 Hours 3 Minutes
The total running time of the film is 2 hours and 3 minutes. The pacing reflects a balance between hard-hitting action sequences and deeply emotional, character-driven storytelling, giving audiences both adrenaline and introspection in equal measure.
Budget and Box Office
The film reportedly had a production budget of around US $40 million. Some other sources mention up to $50 million as the budget figure. In terms of box‐office, the movie earned approximately $11.3 million domestically and about US $8.37 million internationally, bringing the worldwide total to around $19.7 million.
Story
The Smashing Machine (2025) tells the true story of Mark Kerr, a professional mixed martial artist whose life becomes a powerful exploration of glory, pain, and identity. Set during the chaotic and unregulated era of 1990s MMA, the film begins with Kerr’s meteoric rise in the fighting world. Fueled by a mix of raw talent and sheer determination, he dominates opponents with his unmatched strength and technique, quickly earning the nickname “The Smashing Machine.” Yet beneath the victories lies a man struggling to balance his professional success with the heavy psychological toll of a violent and unforgiving sport.
As the narrative unfolds, viewers witness the growing contrast between Kerr’s public image and his private reality. Away from the bright lights of the ring, he grapples with addiction, self-doubt, and emotional turmoil. His dependence on painkillers becomes both a coping mechanism and a destructive force, blurring the line between physical recovery and mental deterioration. The film delves deeply into this inner conflict, showing how the demands of fame and physical perfection begin to consume his sense of self.
Parallel to his professional challenges, the story also explores Kerr’s relationship with Dawn Staples (played by Emily Blunt). Their bond reflects both love and struggle — a partnership strained by the relentless pressure of Kerr’s career and his personal demons. Dawn becomes a symbol of compassion and stability, yet even she finds herself powerless against the forces pulling him apart. Through their relationship, the film examines the emotional cost of living in a world that celebrates strength but punishes vulnerability.
In its final act, The Smashing Machine portrays Kerr’s descent and his search for redemption. As he faces the consequences of his choices, the film reveals a man confronting his humanity after years of living as an invincible machine. It’s a story about breaking down and rebuilding — about finding meaning in defeat and understanding that the greatest battles are often fought within. Through its raw and emotional storytelling, the film captures not only the brutal world of early MMA but also the universal struggle of a man trying to reclaim his identity amidst chaos.
Review
The Smashing Machine (2025) is an unflinching portrait of ambition, pain, and redemption that strips away the glamour of professional fighting to reveal the fragile humanity beneath. Director Benny Safdie crafts a world that feels brutally authentic — one where glory and self-destruction coexist in equal measure. From the opening sequence, the film establishes a raw tone that grips viewers, immersing them in the gritty, sweat-soaked arenas of early MMA. Safdie’s signature handheld style captures every punch, bruise, and breath, blurring the line between triumph and tragedy in a way that feels deeply personal and emotionally charged.
Dwayne Johnson delivers one of the most compelling performances of his career as Mark Kerr. Shedding his usual heroic persona, he dives headfirst into a role that demands vulnerability, restraint, and emotional honesty. Johnson’s portrayal of Kerr’s descent — from a confident, unstoppable fighter to a man consumed by addiction and self-doubt — is nothing short of transformative. His physical intensity remains intact, but it’s his quiet, broken moments that leave a lasting impact. Opposite him, Emily Blunt shines as Dawn Staples, bringing nuance and empathy to a role that grounds the story in emotional reality. Their chemistry feels lived-in, marked by tenderness and exhaustion, making every interaction pulse with authenticity.
The film’s narrative pacing is deliberate, mirroring the rhythm of a fighter’s life — moments of explosive action punctuated by stretches of reflection and inner turmoil. Safdie doesn’t glorify the violence or the victories; instead, he uses them to probe deeper questions about identity and purpose. The fights themselves are choreographed with visceral realism, each bout serving as a metaphor for Kerr’s internal battles. By the time the adrenaline fades, what lingers is not the spectacle of combat but the emotional wreckage left behind.
Visually and sonically, The Smashing Machine is a sensory powerhouse. Nala Sinephro’s haunting score fuses ambient soundscapes with pulsating electronic undertones, amplifying both tension and introspection. The cinematography, drenched in dim, sweat-glazed lighting, gives the film a documentary-like texture that makes every frame feel immediate and lived-in. The editing is sharp yet patient, allowing key moments of silence and vulnerability to speak louder than the roar of the crowd. These stylistic choices elevate the film beyond a conventional sports drama, turning it into a character study that feels both intimate and epic.
Beyond its physical intensity, the film succeeds as a meditation on the cost of greatness. It exposes how the pursuit of perfection often leads to self-destruction, forcing viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about the price of ambition. Safdie doesn’t offer easy answers or tidy resolutions — instead, he presents a complex portrait of a man crushed under the weight of his own legend. Through Johnson’s powerful performance and Safdie’s fearless direction, The Smashing Machine transcends its genre, emerging as a haunting, deeply human story about pain, love, and survival in a world that demands nothing less than everything.
The Reality Behind the Rage
What sets The Smashing Machine (2025) apart from most sports dramas is its unwavering commitment to realism. Instead of glorifying violence or portraying its hero as invincible, the film exposes the mental and physical deterioration that comes with being at the top of an unforgiving sport. Benny Safdie draws heavy inspiration from real events and Mark Kerr’s own interviews, using them to blur the line between fiction and documentary. Every bruise, every relapse, and every moment of silence between fights feels disturbingly authentic — a reminder that true strength often hides beneath layers of pain.
The film also serves as a reflection on the cost of masculinity and performance, especially in a world that celebrates toughness above all else. Mark Kerr’s story is not just about the rise and fall of an athlete but a commentary on how society pressures men to bury vulnerability behind physical dominance. Through its unfiltered storytelling and heartbreaking performances, The Smashing Machine invites audiences to see beyond the cage — into the fragile soul of a man who fought everyone but himself.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The Smashing Machine (2025) stands as a raw and emotionally charged exploration of human endurance, identity, and the fragile nature of success. Benny Safdie’s direction and Dwayne Johnson’s transformative performance bring depth and realism to a story that could have easily been just another sports biopic. Instead, it becomes a powerful meditation on the battles that rage within — the kind that can’t be won with strength alone. The film refuses to romanticize the sport, choosing instead to show the cost of greatness and the quiet pain behind every victory.
Ultimately, The Smashing Machine is more than a tale of fists and fame — it’s a portrait of redemption, loss, and rediscovery. It reminds viewers that heroes are not defined by how many times they win, but by how they rise after being broken. With its haunting score, immersive cinematography, and deeply human storytelling, the film leaves a lasting mark, proving that even the strongest fighters must face their own weaknesses before they can truly triumph.