If you’re looking for information on The Smashing Machine film – prepare yourself. This biographical sports drama set for 2025 has got folks hyped with its uncut look at Mark Kerr (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, delivering acclaim-bound performance). Directed by Benny Safdie, the film mixes intense fight scenes with a searing look into Kerr’s private battles, and it really is one of the best ones of its kind. From the plot and cast to release details, this guide covers everything you need to know about The Smashing Machine.
What Is The Smashing Machine About?
The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Mark Kerr is a documentary film about Mark Kerr, the mixed martial artist who became a star in the then-emerging sport of mixed martial arts in the early 2000s. The film concentrates on 1997–2000, when Kerr ruled the UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championships while revealing his off-ring wars with addiction to painkillers, relationship chaos and the mental scars of MMA’s savage early years.
Unlike traditional sports films that glorify victory, this movie offers a gritty, introspective look at the cost of fame, portraying Kerr as a gentle giant whose inner rage fuels his fights but complicates his personal life.
The story centers on Kerr’s relationship with Dawn Staples, his then-girlfriend, and his struggles with chronic injuries that lead to narcotic dependency. Set against the backdrop of Phoenix, Arizona, and the chaotic MMA scene, the film recreates key moments with documentary-like authenticity, drawing from the 2002 HBO documentary of the same name. It’s less about triumphant comebacks and more about human fragility, making it a compelling character study.
The True Story of Mark Kerr
To understand The Smashing Machine, you need to know Mark Kerr, born December 21, 1968, in Toledo, Ohio, to an Irish father and Puerto Rican mother. Raised in Bettendorf, Iowa, Kerr trained alongside future UFC champion Pat Miletich in high school wrestling. He was a NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Syracuse University and he pursued Olympic ambition in Arizona from 1992 to 1996. When he made the transition to mixed martial arts, Kerr again dominated with his ground-and-pound style and was nicknamed “The Smashing Machine.” He holds two victories in the UFC Heavyweight Tournament, the World Vale Tudo Championship and appeared on PRIDE FC.
But behind that triumph, Kerr faced large challenges. Persistent injuries fuelled a painkiller addiction that strained his relationship with Dawn Staples, a recovering alcoholic, and friendships with fighters such as Mark Coleman.
These struggles were often aired in public, including the 2002 HBO documentary The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr, which depicted his career peak in 1999–2000 supplying fight footage (including PRIDE Grand Prix bouts) intertwined with his personal lows such as drug taking and meeting promoter demands. Kerr later achieved sobriety, remarried, and was inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame in 2022. The film adapts this documentary, emphasizing empathy for Kerr’s highs and lows.
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Cast and Characters
The cast blends Hollywood stars and real MMA fighters for authenticity:
- The Rock Is Mark Kerr does an excellent job transitioning from rough-and-tumble action hero into a man in crisis and under intense susceptibility. His best role yet, critics are saying – and Johnson attributes it to his co-star, Emily Blunt, who helped him access emotional depth.
- Emily Blunt as Dawn Staples: As Kerr’s girlfriend, Blunt brings depth to a volatile relationship defined by addiction and reunification. Her aggressive act rivals Johnson’s outside-the-ring intensity.
- Ryan Bader as Mark Coleman: The Bellator champion debuts as Kerr’s rival and friend, adding realism to fight and training scenes.
- Bas Rutten as Himself: In a supporting role, the MMA great leans on his own personal link to Kerr.
- Others: World heavyweight boxing Oleksandr Usyk, Lyndsey Gavin, Zoe Kosovic, and fighters Satoshi Ishii and Cyborg Abreu further deepen the seedy MMA universe.
This blend of actors and athletes replicates the rawness of early MMA, anchoring the film in realism.
Direction and Production
Benny Safdie (the brothers are best known for Uncut Gems) directs his first solo feature, and helped write, co-produce and edit. His documentary-like approach, influenced by the 2002 HBO film, achieves a balance between raw fight scenes and emotional depth which recalls The Wrestler. In striving for that “radical empathy,” Safdie wanted to examine Kerr and Staples as humans.
Production started in December 2023 and A24 has unveiled Johnson’s casting. Emily Blunt along by March 2024. Filming ran from May 21 to August 7, 2024, in New Mexico (for Arizona scenes), Tokyo (for PRIDE fights), and Vancouver. The score, by Nala Sinephro, adds a haunting atmosphere.
The film runs 123 minutes, is rated R for violence, drug use, and language, and is produced by Johnson, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, Eli Bush, Beau Flynn, and David Koplan. The trailer, released April 29, 2025, teases brutal fights and emotional stakes. Fun fact: Safdie recreates documentary scenes, like a doctor’s office moment, with precise lighting and angles to honor the source material.
Release Date and Where to Watch?
The Smashing Machine premiered on September 1, 2025, at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, earning a 15-minute standing ovation and the Silver Lion for Best Director. It screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2025. The wide theatrical release is set for October 3, 2025, in the U.S. and Canada via A24, with a projected $20 million opening weekend, potentially A24’s second-biggest debut.
Post-theater, it’s expected on HBO Max, Apple TV, and VOD platforms. International releases, with subtitles in languages like Spanish, will follow. Search “The Smashing Machine movie near me” for theater listings starting October 3.
Conclusion
The Smashing Machine is more than an MMA movie—it’s a raw, emotional journey into the heart of a fighter’s life. Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt are powerhouses in roles, with Benny Safdie at the helm to weave a narrative as bruising as it is heartfelt. Whether you connect with its relentless action, Kerr’s story of real-world redemption or the film’s unapologetic examination of addiction, “Blue Line” is sure to leave a footprint.