The Smashing Machine Reviews: Dwayne Johnson’s Oscar-Worthy Turn in Benny Safdie’s UFC Drama
Dwayne Johnson has officially entered the Oscars race with his most transformative role yet in The Smashing Machine, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Directed by Benny Safdie in his first solo outing and co-starring Emily Blunt, the film tells the true story of Mark Kerr, a UFC pioneer battling both fame and opioid addiction.
To embody Kerr, Johnson underwent a dramatic physical transformation, working with two-time Oscar-winning prosthetic artist Kazu Hiro (Darkest Hour, Bombshell). The result is a performance critics describe as career-defining, even as opinions remain mixed on the film itself. Currently, it holds an 88% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Critical Praise for Johnson
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Variety’s Owen Gleiberman called Johnson’s performance “extraordinary”, describing it as a “gentle giant with demons that will not speak their name.” He likened the film’s tone to Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler, with echoes of Raging Bull.
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Deadline’s Damon Wise praised Johnson’s total immersion, noting he “disappears so fully underneath Kazu Hiro’s astonishing prosthetics that the opening of the film looks genuinely like the real thing.”
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IndieWire’s Ryan Lattanzio hailed the performance as “the most layered work of the actor’s career”, calling it “out-and-out wonderful.”
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Mixed and Negative Takes
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Kevin Maher of The Times (UK) was less convinced, calling the film “the awards season equivalent of a fugazi diamond”—shiny but hollow. He nonetheless praised Emily Blunt’s sharp comedic timing, while criticizing the screenplay for giving her a thin role reminiscent of Amy Adams in The Fighter.
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Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri described the movie as “the softest, gentlest film you’ll ever see about a man who beats the crap out of other men.” He echoed concerns about Blunt’s underutilization, noting the relationship subplot lacks depth.
Overall Sentiment
Despite some criticism of the film’s structure and Blunt’s sidelined character, the critical consensus spotlights Johnson’s performance as a revelation, marking a turning point in his career. For many, The Smashing Machine positions Johnson as a legitimate Best Actor contender in the upcoming awards season.
