It's by no means Raging Bull or The Wrestler, but Safdie's directorial vision and Belgian composer Sinephro's soundtrack elevates what otherwise could have been another overly dramatized run-of-the-mill biopic. The complex toxic dynamic between Johnson and Blunts character is surprisingly well handled, and moments of rivalry that could have easily been dramatized for emotional impact instead reflect a depiction of masculinity I'd like to see more in Hollywood productions.
I imagine that the subversion of classic biopic tropes might backfire in that there's less space for emotionally affective moments, but it is exactly this subversion that made me care for Johnson's character, portrayed by an actor I have otherwise great difficulty with taking serious on-screen.