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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Maddy Mussen

The Smashing Machine review: average film with great Dwayne Johnson performance

Dwayne Johnson Mark Kerr Benny Safdie Dwayne The Rock Johnson Josh Safdie Dawn Staples Emily Blunt United States

When it was announced last year that the Safdie brothers would no longer be making films together, fans of the Uncut Gems duo were conflicted. Some were heartbroken over their decision to split, while others made jokes about “gaining a Safdie, not losing a Safdie” and compared the decision to divorcing parents (“Double the Christmas presents!” someone joked on the A24 subreddit).

This may well be the reality. Both Safdie brothers are releasing films in 2025 and both films are likely to feature on the awards circuit early next year. Josh Safdie’s contribution is Marty Supreme, the Timothée Chalamet-led ping pong comedy-drama that hits US cinemas on Christmas Day (January 1 for the UK). But it’s Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Emily Blunt, that has got the important people talking.

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