I sit in with guest host Brian Lilley on NewsTalk 1010 to go over some of the week’s biggest entertainment stories and let you know what’s happening in theatres. We talk about Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on movies, a Nirvana lawsuit and Swayne Johnson in “The Smashing Machine.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
I join “CTV News Toronto at Five” with guest anchor Zuraidah Alman to talk about new movies in theatres including the sports drama “The Smashing Machine,” the action comedy “Play Dirty” and the documentary “Orwell 2+2=5.”
Watch the whole thing HERE! (Starts at 12:57)
I joined CTV NewsChannel to have a look at new movies coming to theatres including the sports drama “The Smashing Machine” and the action comedy “Play Dirty.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
I join CP24 to talk about the sports drama “The Smashing Machine,” the action comedy “Play Dirty,” the Disney+ sports comedy “Chad Powers” and the Paramount+ Sylvester Stallone series “Tulsa King.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
Fast reviews for busy people! Watch as I review three movies in less time than it takes to make the bed! Have a look as I race against the clock to tell you about the sports drama “The Smashing Machine,” the action comedy “Play Dirty” and the documentary “Orwell 2+2=5.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
I sit in on the CFRA Ottawa morning show with host Bill Carroll to talk about the new movies coming to theatres including Dwayne Johnson in “The Smashing Machine,” the Prime Video action comedy “Play Dirty” and the timely political documentary “Orwell: 2+2=5.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
SYNOPSIS: In “The Smashing Machine,” a new sports biopic now playing on theatres, Dwayne Johnson plays former MMA and UFC champion Mark Kerr.
CAST: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, Oleksandr Usyk. Directed by Benny Safdie.
REVIEW: Dwayne Johnson leaves his well-honed action hero schtick behind, opting to emphasize UFC champion Mark Kerr’s vulnerabilities over the character’s innate violence.
Focused on three years in Mark Kerr’s life, “The Smashing Machine” begins in 1997 during the beginning of the wild and wooly mixed martial arts era. Former wrestler Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson) is an up-and-coming UFC star nicknamed The Smashing Machine for his no-holds-barred fighting style. “When you win,” he says, “nothing else in the world matters.”
When he’s not sticking his fingers in his opponent’s open wounds or pulverizing a rival’s face with his fists, he’s soft spoken and tender and likes to look at sunsets. His love life with girlfriend Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt) also thrives. “My big strong man,” she says, “I love you.”
As his fame blossoms on the Japanese Pride FC circuit, the work takes a toll on Mark physically and on his relationship.
As his body aches, he finds a high greater than winning through the abuse of painkillers. “A day without pain,” he says, “is like a day with sunshine.”
As growing dependence on painkillers pushes his relationship with Dawn to the edge and affects his performance in the ring, a shocking loss in Pride FC pushes him further into drugs, leading to an overdose. With Dawn’s help, Kerr looks for personal and professional redemption.
A cautionary tale of addiction wrapped in a sports movie, “The Smashing Machine” reunites Johnson and Blunt, who have previously co-starred in “The Jungle Cruise” and “Red One,” but the tone here is much different. The action comedy of their earlier films is replaced with family drama, but their chemistry is very much intact. Dawn and Mark’s relationship is rocky, but they have the vibe of a couple who have experienced ups and downs.
It’s too bad that the movie doesn’t spend more time with them, or, generally, enough time with most of the major events in their lives. It’s a story full of drama, but director Benny Safdie chooses to skim through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Safdie attempts to mine emotion from the tribulations of Kerr’s life, but through a chatty, repetitious script that uses talk not action. The fight scenes are brutal, but brief (until the end) but the real fireworks happen off camera. It hard to shake the feeling that the movie’s depictions of Kerr’s drug use and time in rehab would have benefitted from more show-me and less tell-me.
On the plus side, Johnson delivers the best work of his career. As Kerr he delivers a real dramatic turn, aided by a terrific performance from Blunt and real life American mixed martial artist Ryan Bader who plays Kerr’s best friend and trainer.
“The Smashing Machine” is a step forward for Johnson but doesn’t really connect as a sports drama.
