Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is known for his roles in action movies like Black Adam and Jungle Cruise, that don’t exactly require a range of acting skills. Now he’s getting praise for a rare dramatic turn.
The wrestler-turned-actor leads the cast of the new biopic The Smashing Machine as Mark Kerr, a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion.
The independent film is written and directed by Benny Safdie of the Safdie brothers filmmaking team behind the award-winning Uncut Gems (2019).
Also Read: ‘Black Adam’ Sequel Halted Amid Changes at DC Studios, Dwayne Johnson Confirms
Emily Blunt, Johnson’s Jungle Cruise co-star, also has a role in the film as Kerr’s girlfriend Dawn Staples.
On Monday, Sept. 1, The Smashing Machine debuted at the 82nd Venice Film Festival and received a 15-minute standing ovation — generating Oscar buzz and bringing Johnson to tears.
Movie insider website Discussing Film posted video from the screening on the X platform, showing Johnson getting emotional at the end of the screening and thanking the audience. The caption for the post read: “Dwayne Johnson cries during the 15-minute standing ovation for his new movie The Smashing Machine.”
So far, critics have posted 19 reviews out of the festival on Rotten Tomatoes, and the drama currently has an 84 percent score out of 100.
Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter called Johnson’s performance the “most absorbing turn” of his acting career.
“For a movie anchored by an actor who became famous for his staged bouts in the WWE, The Smashing Machine’s greatest attribute may be the way much of it doesn’t feel fake at all,” Mintzer wrote.
Yasmine Kandil of Discussing Film was also impressed with the wrestler-turned-actor’s performance.
“The Smashing Machine is more than just another sports biopic, examining what makes or breaks us as humans through a spectacular lead performance from Dwayne Johnson,” Kandil wrote.
Owen Gleiberman of Variety added, “Johnson, shifting his whole aspect (he seems like a new actor), invests that silent, moody, hidden side of Mark with a quality of mystery. He gives an extraordinary performance.”
Cody Dericks of Next Best Picture gave the drama seven out of 10 stars and called the performance the best of Johnson’s career.
“It may have some serious screenplay hiccups when it comes to characterization, but it’s a stirring, invigorating story about overcoming personal demons, with a career-best performance from Dwayne Johnson at its center,” Dericks wrote.
Jack King of GQ magazine UK said Johnson turns in such a convincing performance that you sometimes forget it’s him on screen.
“It’s difficult to recall another time when the actor has been so outwardly vulnerable on screen,” King wrote. “You often forget it’s Johnson at all, in part due to the prosthetics behind which he is subtly masked, but also because he is so emotionally transformed.”
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