by Josh Sewell
The Smashing Machine
(Rated R for language and some drug abuse. Opens in theaters on October 3.)
Following a string of misfires that were supposed to be blockbusters (remember Black Adam, Red One and that misbegotten cameo in Fast X?), Dwayne Johnson decides to go the “serious actor” route and chase Oscar glory. The result is The Smashing Machine, a biopic about the life of UFC pioneer Mark Kerr, based on a 2002 documentary of the same name.
(Rated R for language and some drug abuse. Opens in theaters on October 3.)
Following a string of misfires that were supposed to be blockbusters (remember Black Adam, Red One and that misbegotten cameo in Fast X?), Dwayne Johnson decides to go the “serious actor” route and chase Oscar glory. The result is The Smashing Machine, a biopic about the life of UFC pioneer Mark Kerr, based on a 2002 documentary of the same name.
After playing slightly different versions of himself for the last decade, Johnson really goes for it here. He buries his recognizable face under a mountain of prosthetics to portray a guy who runs into one obstacle after another, mainly because he can’t get out of his own way. It’s an admittedly terrific performance; unfortunately, it’s stuck in the middle of a movie that doesn’t seem to know why it exists.
Benny Safdie (flying solo after working with his brother Josh on the terrific Good Time, Uncut Gems and a host of other lesser-known flicks) writes and directs this look at Kerr’s journey from the heights of international wrestling to the dawn of the UFC era. Battling an opioid addiction that nearly killed him, the soft-spoken warrior comes to a crossroads in his volatile relationship with his longtime girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt).
Weirdly, The Smashing Machine gets to the place biopics usually end – Kerr hitting rock bottom and going to rehab – within an hour or so. But his life after that, albeit less chaotic, isn’t exactly riveting cinema. In fact, most of his fighting career takes a backseat to his deteriorating connection to an increasingly erratic Dawn.
Benny Safdie (flying solo after working with his brother Josh on the terrific Good Time, Uncut Gems and a host of other lesser-known flicks) writes and directs this look at Kerr’s journey from the heights of international wrestling to the dawn of the UFC era. Battling an opioid addiction that nearly killed him, the soft-spoken warrior comes to a crossroads in his volatile relationship with his longtime girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt).
Weirdly, The Smashing Machine gets to the place biopics usually end – Kerr hitting rock bottom and going to rehab – within an hour or so. But his life after that, albeit less chaotic, isn’t exactly riveting cinema. In fact, most of his fighting career takes a backseat to his deteriorating connection to an increasingly erratic Dawn.
Blunt does what she can to make the one-note character interesting, but the script doesn’t give her much to work with. She has solid chemistry with Johnson, and the duo seems to enjoy working together (they also teamed up for 2021’s Jungle Cruise), but the performance isn’t too far away from her role as the mentally unstable wife in Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece Oppenheimer.
There’s still a halfway decent chance that Johnson will earn a Best Actor nomination for The Smashing Machine. However, the film’s lackluster reviews and unexpectedly diminished chances at box office success (Taylor Swift’s surprise big-screen album release party is going to dominate the weekend) make me wonder about its pop culture staying power.
There’s still a halfway decent chance that Johnson will earn a Best Actor nomination for The Smashing Machine. However, the film’s lackluster reviews and unexpectedly diminished chances at box office success (Taylor Swift’s surprise big-screen album release party is going to dominate the weekend) make me wonder about its pop culture staying power.
Grade: C+
Good Boy
(Rated PG-13 for terror, bloody images and strong language. Opens in theaters on October 3.)
Creepy houses and evil spirits have been horror movie staples since the silent era, so we’ve seen a million different iterations by this point. Fortunately, the clever, endearing Good Boy manages to breathe new life into the genre by telling the story through the eyes of the human character’s trusted canine companion.
Director Ben Leonberg, who co-wrote the screenplay with Alex Cannon, spins a familiar campfire tale, but places the handsome, loyal Indy (as himself) at the center. When his human Todd (Shane Jensen) moves them to a run-down, isolated cabin, the dog immediately realizes something ominous is going on. Indy soon uncovers supernatural forces lurking in the shadows, and they have dark intentions for his pal. With the help of a far nicer spirit, Indy must fight to protect the person he loves most.
Good Boy is creatively shot – there are lots of low angles and obscured faces to put viewers in Indy’s non-existent shoes – and there’s a constant creepy tone thanks to Sam-Boase Miller’s score. However, the flick is still a slow burn. The truly unsettling stuff doesn’t kick in until the halfway point of the 73-minute runtime, but Leonberg is able to keep things interesting because Indy is such a compelling character.
It might sound silly to call a dog a good actor, but that’s the case here. He’s so expressive that even the more mundane parts of his day are worth watching. I can’t imagine what a complicated shoot this must’ve been. Indy is Leonberg’s dog in real life, and they filmed over the course of three years to ensure all legal and ethical procedures were adhered to.
The hard work paid off, since Good Boy is one of the year’s most compelling horror flicks. It’s got a few issues here and there, but I was never bored, and it packs a gut-punch of an ending.
(Don’t worry too much. Spoiler alert! The dog makes it.)
(Rated PG-13 for terror, bloody images and strong language. Opens in theaters on October 3.)
Creepy houses and evil spirits have been horror movie staples since the silent era, so we’ve seen a million different iterations by this point. Fortunately, the clever, endearing Good Boy manages to breathe new life into the genre by telling the story through the eyes of the human character’s trusted canine companion.
Director Ben Leonberg, who co-wrote the screenplay with Alex Cannon, spins a familiar campfire tale, but places the handsome, loyal Indy (as himself) at the center. When his human Todd (Shane Jensen) moves them to a run-down, isolated cabin, the dog immediately realizes something ominous is going on. Indy soon uncovers supernatural forces lurking in the shadows, and they have dark intentions for his pal. With the help of a far nicer spirit, Indy must fight to protect the person he loves most.
Good Boy is creatively shot – there are lots of low angles and obscured faces to put viewers in Indy’s non-existent shoes – and there’s a constant creepy tone thanks to Sam-Boase Miller’s score. However, the flick is still a slow burn. The truly unsettling stuff doesn’t kick in until the halfway point of the 73-minute runtime, but Leonberg is able to keep things interesting because Indy is such a compelling character.
It might sound silly to call a dog a good actor, but that’s the case here. He’s so expressive that even the more mundane parts of his day are worth watching. I can’t imagine what a complicated shoot this must’ve been. Indy is Leonberg’s dog in real life, and they filmed over the course of three years to ensure all legal and ethical procedures were adhered to.
The hard work paid off, since Good Boy is one of the year’s most compelling horror flicks. It’s got a few issues here and there, but I was never bored, and it packs a gut-punch of an ending.
(Don’t worry too much. Spoiler alert! The dog makes it.)
Grade: B
Reach out to Josh Sewell at joshsewell81@gmail.com or on BlueSky @joshsewell.bsky.social
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