Even some of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson‘s biggest fans agree that, even though they love him, he can oftentimes play the same character in nearly every movie he does. I, myself, am a fan of Johnson’s but I’ve always wanted him to play a legitimately dramatic character, and now he finally is.
Safdie is a great director:
Just today, A24 released the first official trailer for their upcoming biographical sports drama film The Smashing Machine, which certainly looks to be one doozy of an emotional rollercoaster. Johnson portrays real life wrestler and mixed martial artist Mark Kerr, alongside other stars such as Emily Blunt and Ryan Bader.
It’s also directed by Benny Safdie, best known for his work with brother Josh on anxiety-inducing gems like Uncut Gems and Good Time, brings an auteur’s eye to a genre often saturated with clichés. This is his first feature-length project without his brother, but his fingerprints are already evident—gritty textures, morally gray protagonists, and a fascination with individuals on the brink of personal collapse.
Kerr, a decorated wrestler and a pioneer of early MMA, is a fitting subject for Safdie’s sensibilities. His life was defined not just by victory in the ring, but by addiction, marital struggles, and emotional volatility. The film is poised to examine a man both lionized and broken by the world of professional combat sports.
Will Johnson be able to pull it off?
Obviously as mentioned before, Dwayne Johnson’s casting as Kerr adds another layer of intrigue. Known almost exclusively for his bombastic, family-friendly blockbusters, Johnson has long flirted with serious dramatic roles but rarely followed through. The Smashing Machine represents a conscious pivot. Shedding the polished charisma that defines most of his performances, Johnson is reportedly pushing himself toward a raw, unvarnished portrayal of a man at war with himself. The physicality is a given—Johnson’s build lends itself naturally to Kerr’s imposing presence—but it’s the vulnerability beneath that will determine whether this becomes a career-defining turn.
Emily Blunt as Dawn Staples—Kerr’s then-wife—also raises the emotional stakes. Blunt is no stranger to playing emotionally layered roles, and her chemistry with Johnson, previously seen in Jungle Cruise, will be tested in a much darker context. If the film navigates their relationship with nuance, it could serve as the emotional backbone of the story, grounding Kerr’s descent in something deeply human and relatable.
Final Thoughts:
The Smashing Machine holds promise because of its contradictions: a massive star trying to go small, an indie director exploring the brutality of professional sports, and a narrative that must balance violence with introspection. The hope is that Safdie doesn’t fall prey to formulaic redemption arcs or over-sentimental storytelling. Instead, audiences are banking on his signature chaotic realism to lend the film a bruising honesty, much like Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler or David O. Russell’s The Fighter.
If the trailer signals anything, it’s that this isn’t just another sports drama. It’s a portrait of pain, identity, and self-destruction—and it could be one of the most compelling films of the year if it lives up to the talent behind it.
