Cinema in the culture barn: The Smashing Machine

As a wrestler, Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson) can celebrate a series of successes. But the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA, ended up being a career killer for Kerr - at least in terms of wrestling. He missed out on making the US Olympic team. So he looked around for alternatives and finally found what he was looking for in mixed martial arts. Kerr first had to make a name for himself there, but with discipline and determination he not only won his first fights, but also surprisingly quickly became a sporting high-flyer. But the sport takes its toll on Kerr's body. He can no longer get through the day without painkillers. And this addiction puts his marriage to Dawn (Emily Blunt) at risk (USA 2025, biopic/drama, 124 minutes, FSK 12).