After making two of the most stress-inducing films of the 21st century together (“Good Time” and “Uncut Gems“) writing/directing duo Josh and Benny Safdie are swinging solo this year. Ahead of Josh’s “Marty Supreme“ coming to theaters this Christmas from A24, Benny made the first move with “The Smashing Machine“ (also from A24), which recently had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film stars Dwayne Johnson as MMA/UFC fighter Mark Kerr, a pioneering force in the wrestling world. Kerr rose to stardom in the 1990s and ultimately fell into a path of painkiller addiction and strained relationships. On the sidelines of this fight, Emily Blunt plays Kerr’s then-girlfriend Dawn Staples, and real MMA champion Ryan Bader plays Kerr’s best friend Mark Coleman.
Award season is notably in its early stages, and a win-competitive conversation around “The Smashing Machine“ would be entirely premature. However, in terms of nominations, it seems likely that the film could follow a similar path to another A24 release from 2022. At the 96th Academy Awards, Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale“ won two out of its three nominations: Best Actor (Brendan Fraser) and Best Makeup and Hairstyling (Judy Chin, Annemarie Bradley-Sherron, and Adrien Morot). Additionally, the film was nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Hong Chau). “The Whale“ also had its world premiere at Venice, followed by a North American premiere at TIFF. Upon its first screening, Brendan Fraser became a frontrunner contender for Best Actor after shedding tears following a standing ovation. The sense of goodwill towards Fraser then carried over into Toronto, where he received another passionate standing ovation. The likelihood of Fraser winning an Oscar was also linked to the strong potential for a win in the Best Makeup & Hairstyling category. It’s a compelling combination that has proven successful among Academy voters, particularly with lead performances as seen with Gary Oldman and “Darkest Hour” (which won both prizes), Daniel Day-Lewis in “Lincoln,” Matthew McConaughey in “Dallas Buyers Club,” Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Revenant,” Joaquin Phoenix in “Joker” and Cillian Murphy in “Oppenheimer.”
With “The Smashing Machine“ following the same festival trajectory, its awards chances also mirror those of “The Whale.“ Dwayne Johnson shed tears himself following the film’s premiere at Venice as he received a 15-minute standing ovation. The role of Mark Kerr is a physically and emotionally transformative one for Johnson. On paper, the dramatic transformation is an artistry that the Academy tends to gravitate towards. Lately, it’s been synonymous with overdue career recognition (Fraser in “The Whale“; Gary Oldman in “Darkest Hour“; Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Revenant“); though for DiCaprio, the focus wasn’t so much on being unrecognizable (he was not), but rather the elemental extremities he endured as the character.
A common thread in the Safdie brothers’ films is a protagonist who loses the fight, whether caught up by the law (“Good Time“) or in a deadly gamble (“Uncut Gems“). This is not the character path that Johnson typically plays, nor is the candid biographical drama a familiar genre of storytelling for him. “The Smashing Machine“ presents an opportunity for him to showcase his raw talent and a different level of commitment, specifically one that transcends a box office-measured thought process, which could be a very endearing journey for fellow artists to hear about.
With an unprecedented 16mm limited IMAX release coming on October 3rd, positive reviews (currently sitting at 76% on Rotten Tomatoes), a Venice Best Director win for Safdie, and goodwill towards Johnson finally taking on a serious role that proves he’s more than just the big muscled, big box office start he’s presented himself as for most of his career, it could be the start of a trajectory that could lead to three Oscar nominations for Benny’s first solo outing as a director.
What do you think, though? Do you think “The Smashing Machine” will receive these Oscar nominations? Are you planning to see the film next week when it opens? Please let us know in the comments section below and on our X account and check out the team’s latest Oscar predictions here.
