Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- intense
- melancholic
- harrowing
- serious movie night
- sports film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Dwayne Johnson's committed performance and Benny Safdie's intense direction, while finding the drama uneven and its appeal limited.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film follows UFC pioneer and champion Mark Kerr through competition, addiction, and domestic strain.
Kerr's performance regimen and drug addiction make athletic success visibly damaging to his body and mind.
The story emphasizes exhaustion, depression, domestic dysfunction, and the unglamorous costs of professional fighting.
Dwayne Johnson's performance and makeup construct Mark Kerr's imposing fighter physique and public persona.
Films like The Smashing Machine, and why
Foxcatcher
biographical sports drama centered on physical transformation, addiction, and the corrosive costs of ambition
The Fighter
intense combat-sports biopic focused on discipline, self-destruction, and pressure surrounding a champion
Raging Bull
raw, psychologically heavy sports drama about fame, bodily sacrifice, and damaged personal relationships
The Iron Claw
A24-associated character-driven drama using athletic competition to explore masculinity and emotional isolation
Movie Details
- Director
- Benny Safdie
- Release Date
- 2025-10-01
- Runtime
- 123 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (714)
Cast
- Dwayne Johnson
- Emily Blunt
- Ryan Bader
- Bas Rutten
- Oleksandr Usyk
- Lyndsey Gavin
- Zoe Kosovic
- Satoshi Ishii
- James Moontasri
- Yoko Hamamura
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Smashing Machine about?
- An uncompromising portrait of UFC champion Mark Kerr as athletic glory collides with addiction, depression, and domestic strain.
- What is The Smashing Machine like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Smashing Machine as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Smashing Machine violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Smashing Machine as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Smashing Machine?
- Critics broadly praised Dwayne Johnson's committed performance and Benny Safdie's intense direction, while finding the drama uneven and its appeal limited.
- Which films are like The Smashing Machine?
- Films with a similar feel include Foxcatcher, The Fighter, Raging Bull, and The Iron Claw.
- How long is The Smashing Machine?
- The Smashing Machine runs 123 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Smashing Machine?
- In United States, The Smashing Machine streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
