Displaying items by tag: Ryan Bader

THE SMASHING MACHINE

US, 2025, 123 minutes, Colour.

Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten.

Directed by Benny Safdie.

The Smashing Machine was the professional name for fighter, Mark Kerr. (There had been a 2002 documentary with the same title focusing on this period of Mark Kerr’s life and career, sport, achievement, his relationship with Dawn Staples.)

The film focuses on the development of fights, boxing, wrestling, martial arts, their combinations, and the development of the UFC, Ultimate Fighting Championship. For those in the know, there will be great interest in this re-creation of the period, the staging of fights (which may be more than a touch alarming and/or offputting for those not familiar). And there will be the interest in this portrait of Mark Kerr, as a fighter, as a personality, his public image, his private life, his relationship with Dawn Staples.

The film opens with fights and interviews, enabling the audience to enter into this world.

The main expectation from audiences for The Smashing Machine was to see Dwayne Johnson in the role, bringing his long experience in wrestling to the part, and also showing his ability in acting and performance. Make up and hair transform him into the appearance of the actual Mark Kerr rather than a variation on Dwayne Johnson (except when he does shave his head towards the end of the film). The Mark Kerr of this drama comes across much more sympathetically than the actual Mark Kerr of the documentary. However, at the end of this film, there are some 2025 scenes of Mark Kerr himself, many years after retiring from fighting in 2009, at a supermarket in Arizona, smiling, genial and friendly – and some photos during the credits with Dwayne Johnson preparing for the film.

Mark Kerr comes across well to fans and the media, this film focusing on the fights in Japan, the media and interviews there, rules and regulations, the crowds at the bouts, the physicality of the fighting and its consequences, physically, psychologically, emotionally. Key to Mark Kerr’s experience is his beginning to take painkillers, drugs and injections, their increasing, having an effect on his moods, ultimately his going into rehab after a physical collapse but emerging once again.

Emily Blunt (who had starred with Dwayne Johnson in the Disney action adventure, Jungle Cruise), offers an intense interpretation of Dawn Staples, the glamorous look, easily emotionally upset, supportive of Mark, but often careless in the details he demands. She is loving but she is also clingy, some peaceful sequences at home, then some highly emotionally-charged conflicts. In the final crisis sequence, highly intense, both stars are able to create an alarming atmosphere.

While Mark Kerr achieved some fame, his life and career were not as fulfilling as he hoped for, especially in comparison with Mark Coleman, his friend (portrayed here very effectively by actual fighter, Ryan Bader).

The film was directed by Benny Safdie, who with his brother directed such films as Good Times and Uncut Gems.

1. Martial arts, wrestling, mixed martial arts, UFC, Ultimate Fighting Championship?
2. Based on actual characters and events? The appearance of Mark Kerr during the final credits, the photos, and with Dwayne Johnson?
3. The 1990s and early 2000’s, lifestyle in the US, Arizona, homes, gyms, training, fights? The sequences in Japan, the atmosphere for Pride tournament, dressing rooms, auditoriums, the fights? The musical score? The use of My Way?
4. The introduction to Mark Kerr, his background, fighting, competitions, winning? His friendship with Mark Coleman? His relationship with Dawn? Their life together? The 1990s, Mark Kerr and his career, the nickname, The Smashing Machine? The interviews and his explanations? Mark Coleman and the interviews and his giving the information about their careers?
5. Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr, the make up, the physique, his personality, sympathetic, alienating, manner of speaking, vocabulary, interactions with trainers, match authorities, the discussions about money and payment? His fights, techniques, success? Success in Japan, the crowds, the interviews, the presentations?
6. The pressure on Mark Kerr, relief, painkillers, persuading suppliers to give him drugs, the amount taken, the injections, the effect on him? In conversation with Dawn, high, differing consciousness? The effect on his career? Dawn and her pills? Mark Kerr going into rehab, the effect of the rehab, coming out? His moods?
7. The visualising of the fights, audiences and understanding or not, the mixing of boxing, wrestling, jujitsu, martial arts? The visual impact of these fights? The consequences for the fighters, physically, psychologically, emotionally?
8. Success in Japan, unable to go because of the rehab? Going into training again, the encounters with Bas? Bas and his advice, techniques?
9. The friendship with Mark Coleman, over the years, Coleman and his career, his family, wife and children, supporting Mark Kerr, Dawn’s phone call, his coming to the hospital, support? His re-entry into competition, successes? The buildup to competing with Mark Kerr?
10. The background to going back to Japan, the clash with Dawn? Dawn, her personality, psychologically, the relationship with Mark Kerr, at home, the reaction about the cat on the sofa, making the shakes and the ingredients, her style, glamour, her friends, the parties? Socialising? In Japan, the moods, surprise arrival, supporting Mark, his defeat? At home, the tensions, Mark and his nitpicking, her response, the angry exchanges, his accusing her of being self-centred, her wanting to be liked and loved, his ousting her, going packing, the gun, the struggle, her breaking the gold laced bowl that he bought her? (And her later fixing it and reconciliation)?
11. Japan, the buildup, the various bouts, the rivals, the matches, the authorities, the press conferences? The interviews?
12. Mark, his fight, the device of having the flashbacks of his life and relationships, unable to move, his defeat? The aftermath, his having shaved his hair, his beard, the stitches, his bearing in defeat?
13. Mark Coleman, his success, achievement?
14. The information afterwards, the defeat, the return, marrying Dawn, six years of marriage, their child? His retiring in 2009?
15. The scenes in 2025, the actual Mark Kerr, in the supermarket, check-in, to the vehicle, smiles, genial?
16. The overall impact of the film, for fighting fans? For those interested in biography? Dwayne Johnson’s performance as well is that of Emily Blunt?