This is one of the more interesting projects to look forward to. A24 is set to produce “The Smashing Machine,” which will be directed by Benny Safdie and star Dwayne Johnson.
This will be Benny’s solo directing debut — a biopic based on the life of MMA fighter, Mark Kerr. Kerr’s career peaked during the “no-holds-barred era of the UFC” in the early 2000s. Kerr’s life sounds like it could be prime material for Safdie’s brand of visceral cinema.
Originally a college wrestler, Kerr went on to become one of the most bruising and punishing fighters in MMA history, all in the while fighting a severe addiction to opioids and having his partner, Dawn, become an alcoholic. In 1999, he overdosed and was hospitalized. His fight to stay sober and continue fighting would mark the rest of his career.
So, Josh and Benny Safdie have definitely split up. Oh, well they had a good run with “Heaven Knows What,” “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems.” There was so much potential left, but hopefully their solo directing careers will turn out to be artistically successful.
Josh Safdie was supposed to direct his Adam Sandler Netflix film set in the world of sports memorabilia collectors, but the strike delayed production until next year. We’re not entirely when or if it’s even going to happen.
As for Johnson, aka The Rock, I’ve always said that, with the right screenplay, he can be a good actor.
He’s a likeable mainstream performer who just picks incredibly bad scripts. He has charisma, presence and a real sense of playfulness, but he’s been basically coasting from paycheck to paycheck. His best work still remains Michael Bay’s “Pain and Gain,” a total guilty pleasure set in the dark underworld of Miami bodybuilding.