The Smashing Machine Film UK Premiere Date

About This Film

The Smashing Machine is a biographical sports drama film, written and directed by Benny Safdie and is a a gritty, realistic sports biopic that blends brutal fight sequences with a raw look at addiction, relationships, and the cost of success. It tells the true story of MMA pioneer Mark Kerr, portrayed by Dwayne Johnson alongside Emily Blunt as Kerr’s girlfriend, with Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten and Oleksandr Usyk in supporting roles.

The film tells the true story of Kerr’s rise in the late 1990s as one of the most dominant fighters in early UFC and PRIDE, while simultaneously exploring the heavy toll that career takes on his body and mind. Off the mat, the story dives into his struggles with painkiller addiction and a turbulent relationship with his girlfriend (played by Emily Blunt), showing how fame, pressure, and injury begin to unravel his life. Rather than a typical underdog sports story, the film is more intimate and character-driven, focusing on Kerr’s emotional battles, personal breakdowns, and attempts at recovery alongside his fighting career.