#TIFF25: “THE SMASHING MACHINE” REVIEW

By Mr. Will Wong

Easily one of the hottest tickets at tiff50, Actor/Writer/Director Benny Safdie is coming into awards season with his latest effort, THE SMASHING MACHINE, in an admirable position. The Biopic about Mixed Martial Arts legend Mark Kerr diverts from the typical Sports Drama, giving us a film that more rests its focus on obstacle, resilience, and the emotional costs of success on a grand scale.

We meet Kerr at the top of his game, an undisputed king who fights for big prize money in Japan’s PRIDE league.  He quietly is battling an addiction to narcotics, while competing in a sport that is still relatively new, and discovering its own rules with ever-shifting boundaries. Losing isn’t something Kerr knows until he truly feels what it is like, triggering a downward spiral which also affects his relationship with girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt). Kerr is determined to reclaim his throne, but at what cost?

Make no mistake, all the buzz about Dwayne Johnson‘s career-best work here is warranted and validated, as he taps into Kerr’s vulnerability, sensitivity and emotional awareness. These perhaps, are muscles in Johnson‘s body of work which haven’t always had a proper showcase, but they are flexed fully here.

Undoubtedly aided by their prior work together, Johnson and Blunt pair beautifully together again with an electric, palpable chemistry. Whether they’re sharing a moment of tenderness or at each other’s throats ans getting under one another’s skin, they are a convincing (troubled) couple.

MMA star Ryan Bader plays Kerr’s best friend and fellow fighter Mark Coleman, who despite not being an Actor, puts forth a commendable effort from the sidelines.

While we never experienced the tremors and tears we thought we would with your typical epic Sports Dramas, we appreciate the lens through which Safdie tells Kerr‘s story through. Instead of the typical tropes we see in fighter films, this isn’t a portrait of glory and winning as much as it is about surviving, overcoming, and just living as a successful athlete. A fantastic piece of Cinema with performances we will remember for some time.

THE SMASHING MACHINE screens at TIFF ’25 as follows:

Monday, September 8
VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
Premium
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
9:45 pm

Tuesday, September 9
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
7:30 pm

#FIRSTLOOK: DWAYNE JOHNSON AND EMILY BLUNT AT UFC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION FOR MARK KERR

THE SMASHING MACHINE cast members Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt attended the UFC Hall of Fame Induction of combat sport legend Mark Kerr, who Johnson depicts in the film. Blunt portrays Dawn Staples-Kerr, Mark’s first wife. Johnson presented Kerr with the trophy in honor of his induction as the 21st member of the Pioneer Era Wing of the Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place on Thursday, June 26, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Other 2025 inductees into the UFC Hall of Fame include Craig Piligian (Emmy Award-winning producer), Israel Adesanya (Former Middleweight Champion), Robbie Lawler (Former Middleweight Champion), Kelvin Gastelum (Former Interim Title Challenger), Amanda Nunes (Former 2-Division Champion), and Vitor Belfort (Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and UFC 12 Heavyweight Tournament Winner).
ABOUT MARK KERR:
Mark Kerr, a former NCAA wrestling champion and ADCC Hall of Famer, rose to prominence in MMA by winning back-to-back UFC heavyweight tournaments in 1997. Nicknamed “The Smashing Machine” for his dominant style, Kerr fought in both UFC and PRIDE, earning victories over top-tier opponents during a 12-year career.

ABOUT UFC:
UFC is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 300 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 950 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

ABOUT THE SMASHING MACHINE:
From filmmaker Benny Safdie and starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, THE SMASHING MACHINE is the story of legendary mixed martial arts & UFC fighter Mark Kerr.

#FIRSTLOOK: “THE SMASHING MACHINE” TRAILER

From Writer/Director Benny Safdie and starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. THE SMASHING MACHINE – In Theaters October 3, 2025 via VVS Films. Today we get a brand new Trailer. This looks incredible!

DIRECTOR: Benny Safdie
CAST: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt

About Mark Kerr

Mark Kerr is an American former wrestler and mixed martial artist. During his MMA career he was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion, World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner, a PRIDE FC Heavyweight Champion, 1992 NCAA National Wrestling Champion, 1994 National Freestyle Champion and 4x ADCC World Submission Champion. In 2003, Kerr was the subject of an HBO documentary titled THE SMASHING MACHINE, which detailed his MMA career fighting in Vale Tudo, the UFC and PRIDE.

(Photo/video credit: A24)