The Writings of John Ryan Sullivan

A few days ago I watched the movie and keep thinking about it which is usually a good sign. Although most of the thoughts I’m having are “what is this movie about?”.

Until the ending where we see the real Mark Kerr shopping I thought it was about a period of his life where he was succeeding at fighting and struggling with drug addiction and his girlfriend. Only the ending implies the movie is about all the guys you might not know who made mixed-martial arts (and their respective organizations) what they are today.

Which, let’s face it, is weird. If you were telling the story of the NBA and the ABA and how they came to be one league (or as I understand it with mixed-martial arts did not) wouldn’t you tell it from multiple points of view? And wouldn’t you focus on the business aspects as well as how the organizations work?

My oversimplified point here is either I missed the point with this movie (which I don’t think I did since we spent nearly all of it with Mark Kerr and the focus was very much on his struggles) or it did not achieve it’s goal.

That being said it’s interesting. I think one of the most interesting aspects of the film is the unevenness. When first watching Dwayne Johnson with the make-up and prosthetics coupled with his altered voice I was bewildered. He’s playing a character and for the first half of the movie I saw Mark Kerr.

I say I was bewildered because aside from some moments in the Jumanji movies it has been a while since I’ve seen him do much beyond play his movie persona. His altered appearance and voice coupled with his performance are a welcome change.

Then, somewhere in the second half of the film there are moments where the make-up/prosthesis changes and he looks more like himself (this is pre-shaven head as well as after). Also, in the last twenty minutes or so he stops doing the Mark Kerr voice and speaks like Dwayne Johnson. It’s weird and I can’t tell if it was intentional.

I’m trying to not put my preconceived ideas on this film (and all films). What it gave me, until the final scenes, felt very different than what I think I was supposed to get out of the movie. Do with that what you will.

Although I have not seen the documentary of the same name I have seen the many online comments stating it is a better film. While I cannot speak to that I do think shooting this version of The Smashing Machine in a documentary style when another film with the same name (that is a documentary) exists is also weird.

I don’t have a great conclusion to this post. If you go into this movie expecting something like The Wrestler I think you will be disappointed. There is a lack of specific focus with this film that I think is meant to be the point – I’m just not entirely sure that I get it.