The punches don’t always connect, but Dwayne Johnson’s performance is rock solid. You’ll marvel at how Johnson bulked up and changed his facial appearance to play Mark Kerr, the wrestler who became one of the first successful martial arts fighters in the late1990’s; precursor to today’s heavy duty UFC.
Credit goes to Oscar winning Kazu Hiro (Darkest Hour, Bombshell) for creating Johnson’s striking transformation with prosthetic makeup. Johnson literally sat in the chair for 3 to 4 hours each day of the shoot to look like Kerr, hair and all.
Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems) became enamored with Kerr’s life story and took on many hats to bring capture the fighter’s struggle. He produced, directed, wrote the script, even edited the film detailing Kerr’s victories and defeats, emotional and physical highs and lows, chronic pain and serious opioid addiction. Kerr says in the film “winning is the best feeling there is,” that it made him feel like God when he started in 1997, that there is “no feeling like 40, 000 people cheering you on… no high like that.”
Safdie lent a lot of authenticity to the film spending a lot of time with real fighters, starting with Johnson and Ryan Bader who plays Kerr’s best friend and fellow fighter. And the film is peppered with many more including World Reknown, Bas Rutten.
This film also examines his romantic relationship with Dawn (Emily Blunt), who was not the support he wanted and needed from her. Theirs was not always a simpatico relationship. Blunt looks great and earnest in her characterization as Kerr’s lover and window-dressing, but he didn’t always like her hanging around the gym.
Safdie’s script follows Kerr’s climb to stardom in the ring. Safdie directs the film, having cinematographer Maceo Bishop (Uncut Gems) bring the camera in tight for full screen close ups on Johnson and Blunt’s faces that heighten the rage or pain of the moment. He also uses a lot of follow shots, through their house, through training, walking up to and into the ring. Then shoots the fights, with a grainy, newsy, documentary style. Safdie and Johnson spent a lot of time with the real Mark Kerr, and Emily Blunt spent a lot of time with Dawn to create her characterization.
It was good to see the real Mark Kerr in that final scene , but it was way too long, and Safdie added too many stills over during the credits which was overkill. Johnson pours his heart and body into this role, and Safdie captures Kerr’s look and struggles, but still keeps us at arms length. Like the camera, outside the ring, Johnson’s face masks what’s smoldering underneath. On that count Safdie pulled his punch.
A24 2 Hours 3 Minutes R
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