Debapriya Bhattacharya
Helmed by Benny Safdie, ‘The Smashing Machine’ stars Dwayne Johnson as former amateur wrestler and MMA fighter Mark Kerr, and is based on the documentary ‘The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr.’ The narrative follows Mark’s life and battles both inside and outside the ring. As he climbs the ladder of fame, he falls into the dark pit of opioid addiction. The fighter also shares a volatile relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt), which has a strong impact on his life. The biopic offers an emotionally stirring look at the life of a fighter who overcame hardships to rein in a sport before it became a global phenomenon. If the film has captured your attention, you can consider the following movies similar to ‘The Smashing Machine’ to watch next.
12. When We Were Kings (1996)
‘When We Were Kings,’ directed by Leon Gast, is a documentary on one of the most famous heavyweight boxing championship matches of all time that took place on October 30, 1974, in Zaire. Named ‘Rumble in the Jungle,’ the bout was between the then-reigning world champion, George Foreman, and challenger Muhammad Ali. The documentary shows archival footage of the fight and news interviews, featuring other celebrities such as James Brown, B.B. King, Don King, Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, Spike Lee, and many more. The film effectively conveys the true story experience of combat sports that ‘The Smashing Machine’ aims to present.
11. Takedown: The DNA of GSP (2014)
Directed by Kristian Manchester and Peter Svatek, ‘Takedown: The DNA of GSP’ chronicles the life and career of Georges St-Pierre, aka GSP, a welterweight world champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The film interweaves footage from real fights with sequences of his training, as well as shares a peek at what goes on behind the scenes at the UFC. Similar to ‘The Smashing Machine,’ ‘Takedown: The DNA of GSP’ traces the personal and professional journey of a fighter as they get to the top of their game.
10. Choke (1999)
The Robert Raphael Goodman directorial ‘Choke’ documents the life of freestyle fighter Rickson Gracie during the time he was the defending champ in the Vale Tudo Freestyle Fighting Championship in Tokyo. Rickon shares his personal philosophy and training as he gears up for the no-rules fight in the film. Much like ‘The Smashing Machine,’ it is the fighter’s own journey that remains the focus of the film. The struggle to be at the top of the brutal sport, overcoming all personal and professional obstacles, remains the central theme for both the feature and the documentary films.
9. The Hurricane (1999)
Helmed by Norman Jewison. ‘The Hurricane’ stars Denzel Washington as Rubin Carter, also known as the titular “Hurricane” in the ring. While chasing his dream of becoming a middleweight boxing champion, he gets arrested after being falsely accused of killing three people in a bar in New Jersey in cahoots with another man. Rubin is sentenced to 3 life terms in prison. The movie depicts his life in prison, as well as the efforts of some individuals that ultimately lead to his release. Similar to ‘The Smashing Machine,’ ‘The Hurricane’ is a deeply personal story of a fighter’s struggles in his life, and his journey from darkness to light.
8. Cinderella Man (2005)
Set during the Great Depression, the Ron Howard directorial ‘Cinderella Man’ follows James J Braddock (Russell Crowe), a former boxer working as a day laborer. When his former manager Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti) offers him a one-time chance to go up against a young contender, James takes him up. However, his unexpected victory makes him decide to return to the sport on a full-time basis. While his wife and children worry about him, they stand by James as he prepares to challenge the defending champion, Max Baer (Craig Bierko). Like ‘The Smashing Machine,’ the film is about getting ready to return to the ring.
7. Ali (2001)
‘Ali,’ directed by Michael Mann, chronicles the life of boxing legend Muhammad Ali and stars Will Smith in the titular role. The events of the film span a decade, from his defeating Sonny Liston in 1964 and becoming the heavyweight champion to reclaiming the title in the Rumble in the Jungle fight in 1974 against George Foreman. Not only does he rule in the ring, but he also leads the social justice movement in the US. ‘Ali’ depicts a fighter’s rise to greatness, overcoming the tumbles he takes in the middle, similar to what ‘The Smashing Machine’ aspires to do for Mark Kerr.
6. Hands of Stone (2016)
Directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz, ‘Hands of Stone’ retells the life and career of Roberto Durán (Edgar Ramírez), a professional boxer from Panama. Seeing the spark inside him inspires legendary trainer Ray Arcel (Robert De Niro) to come out of retirement at the age of 72 and guide the rising star to greatness. Training hard and picking a winning strategy, Roberto goes up against undefeated lightweight champion Sugar Ray Leonard (Usher), in what becomes the defining bout of his career. Much like ‘The Smashing Machine,’ ‘Hands of Stone’ is based on the true story of a fighter who gives his all in the ring.
5. Bleed For This (2016)
Helmed by Ben Younger, ‘Bleed For This’ stars Miles Teller as Vinny Pazienza, aka The Pazmanian Devil. A boxer hailing from Providence, Vinny becomes famous after twice becoming the world champion. However, his life comes crashing down when he gets into a near-fatal car accident, breaking his neck. Despite his chances of recovery not looking good, Vinny trains with Kevin Rooney (Aaron Eckhart) to return to the ring one year later, a great risk to his life. The story is about Vinny’s drive to rise against all odds, much like ‘The Smashing Machine’ following Mark Kerr. The drive of the former to rise again following his career-ending injuries is reflected in the latter’s struggles against addiction.
4. Warrior (2011)
The Gavin O’Connor directorial ‘Warrior’ revolves around a family of fighters who confront their traumas in the MMA. The film stars Tom Hardy as former Marine Tommy Conlon, who starts training under his father, Paddy (Nick Nolte), a recovering alcoholic and former wrestling coach, as a means to escape his tragic past. He participates in an MMA tournament, only to come across his long estranged brother, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), in the ring. The confrontation between the brothers escalates as they work out their issues in a violent flurry of kicks and punches. Similar to ‘The Smashing Machine,’ ‘Warrior’ focuses on the personal journey of the fighters, which fuels their professional ones.
3. Fighting (2009)
Directed by Dito Montiel, ‘Fighting’ centers around New York City street hustler Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum), who catches the eye of conman Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard). Noticing Shawn’s natural flair for brawling, he introduces him to the bare-knuckle-brawl circuit, where he soon bests pro boxers, martial artists, and ultimate fighters. However, the dark side of the underworld sport takes a toll on him, and Shawn becomes desperate to escape. Like Mark Kerr in ‘The Smashing Machine,’ being a star fighter comes at a heavy price for Shawn, who struggles to find balance in his life.
2. The Fighter (2010)
Inspired by the 1995 documentary ‘High on Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell,’ the David O. Russell directorial ‘The Fighter’ tells the story of Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg). Hailing from a boxing family with his mother as his manager and his half-brother Dicky (Christian Bale) as his trainer, Micky gives his all in the ring. However, when he continues to lose, he follows the advice of his girlfriend and separates from his family. He soon becomes a contender for the world championship, giving himself and his family a chance at redemption. Brutal fight and family drama go hand in hand in the film, much like ‘The Smashing Machine.’
1. Raging Bull (1980)
Adapted by Martin Scorsese from former middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta’s memoir ‘Raging Bull: My Story,’ ‘Raging Bull’ stars Robert De Niro as the lead, Jake. The narrative traces his rise in the sport, from getting his first shot at the championship to the drama in his personal life. Jake falls in love, but his inability to express his feelings blurs the line between the ring and the outer world, as both bleed into the other and upend his life. Many parallels can be drawn between the two films, both depicting real-life stories of fighters facing insurmountable odds. With the support of the people around them, they try to bounce back from the time that they feel their lowest.
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