Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson just proved once again that he’s more than just a blockbuster action star — he’s also a serious force on the film festival stage. At the prestigious Venice Film Festival, Johnson’s new movie, The Smashing Machine, brought the house down, earning a massive 15 ½-minute standing ovation. People were on their feet cheering for over a quarter of an hour.
Safdie addressed the audience in Venice earlier today, remarking, “That era was marked by a spirit of experimentation. Various martial arts disciplines were clashing and converging, creating a sport unlike any other.“It was also such a close-knit community, where everybody knew one another. Everybody loved one another, and there was such a closeness amongst them, and to have that contradiction of this fighting world, but this love between them was really beautiful to me, and I wanted to explore that.”
According to Johnson, this role finally gave him the kind of challenge he’d been chasing—a part that stretched his craft and reignited his passion for performance. He said, “When you’re in Hollywood, it becomes about box office. And you chase the box office. And the box office in our business can be very resounding, and it could push you into a category,”
The movie is directed and written by Benny Safdie, best known for co-directing Uncut Gems and Good Time. The Smashing Machine* brings the powerful true story of MMA legend Mark Kerr to the big screen. It follows his incredible rise in the fighting world—and the tough battles he faced outside the ring, from addiction to the weight of fame. It’s intense, emotional, and a far cry from the usual high-octane roles we’ve seen Johnson take on. This one digs deeper.
Emily Blunt plays Dawn Staples, Kerr’s girlfriend, whose perspective adds depth to the story as she witnesses the highs and lows of his career with Ryan Badar, Bas Rutten, Oleksandr Usyk, Lyndsey Gavin, Satoshi Ishii, Marcus Aurelio, Jason Broadwell, and Byron Capers.