The Smashing Machine (2025)
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A biographical sports drama follows the tumultuous life and career of MMA pioneer Mark Kerr.
The story
Set against the backdrop of the late 1990s, the film follows the career of American combat sportsman Mark Kerr. The narrative begins in 1997 with an interview where Kerr discusses his success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship before a major bout. As the story progresses into 1999, it explores his complicated personal relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn, while he navigates the physical and mental tolls of professional fighting. Amidst the pressures of the sport, Kerr struggles with the use of painkiller medications and the complexities of his public and private life as he prepares for his next competition.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film begins in 1997 with an interview of Mark Kerr regarding his success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1999, Kerr navigates a complicated relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn, while struggling with narcotic painkiller use and preparing for fights. After a devastating loss and a subsequent overdose, he enters rehab, which strains his relationship with Dawn. He eventually finds success under the coaching of Bas Rutten, leading to a reconciliation with Dawn, followed by a falling out over her lifestyle. After a brutal loss in Japan in 2000, the film jumps to 2025, revealing that he and Dawn married in 2000 and he retired in 2009. The film concludes with a 2025 epilogue showing the real Mark Kerr in Scottsdale, reflecting on his legacy as a pioneer in the MMA world.
- First release year
- 2025
- Runtime (minutes)
- 123
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Benny Safdie
- Writers
- Benny Safdie · writer
- Cast and characters
- Dwayne Johnson · Mark Kerr; Emily Blunt · Dawn Staples; Ryan Bader; Bas Rutten; Oleksandr Usyk
- Genres
- biographical; sports drama
- Themes
- sacrifice; addiction; legacy
- Tone and mood
- dramatic
- Setting
- The late 1990s and early 2000s in the United States and Japan, with a final scene in 2025 in Scottsdale.
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; sports; martial arts
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics but was considered a box office bomb due to its high budget and limited appeal.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 65 · scale: 100 · review count: 56; CinemaScore · score: B- · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Silver Lion · Best Director · win; Academy Awards · Best Makeup and Hairstyling · nomination; Golden Globe Awards · Best Actor · nomination; Golden Globe Awards · Best Supporting Actress · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was shot predominantly on 16mm film, with some scenes using 70mm and VHS.; Dwayne Johnson was paid $4 million to star in the film.; The score includes the track 'Corridor of Dreams' by the Cleaners from Venus.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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