The Smashing Machine; Dwayne Johnson is a revelation in brutal, emotional biopic: Toronto International Film Festival Review - The AU Review

TIFF Days 3-6 Roundup: WAKE UP DEAD MAN, THE SMASHING MACHINE, and More

by Joel Edmiston Hello again. I’m not going to write a big intro. Just a little context in case you haven’t read myfirst roundup . I’m in To...

TIFF 2025: “The Smashing Machine” is Less a Sports Biopic Than a Bruised Character Study

By: Myles Herod - Set between 1997 and 2000, The Smashing Machine is less a sports biopic than a bruised character study, an unflinching portrait of MMA legend Mark Kerr, played with raw vulnerability by an unrecognizable Dwayne Johnson. Director Benny Safdie, stepping out from his collaborative work with brother Josh, crafts a film that…

The Smashing Machine; Dwayne Johnson is a revelation in brutal, emotional biopic: Toronto International Film Festival Review - The AU Review

Despite his absolute monstrous size at the time of his career and just how brutal he proved in the ring of mixed martial arts, Mark Kerr was – and still is – a figure that defied the expectations many would presumably put upon him from a personal standpoint.  Softly spoken, with an emotional sense that...