Dwayne Johnson sobbed tears of joy while receiving a 15-minute standing ovation for his new film, The Smashing Machine, at Venice Film Festival.
As the audience cheered, Johnson, also known as WWE wrestler “The Rock”, hugged the film’s director, Benny Safdie, while his co-star Emily Blunt smiled next to him.
Before the premiere began, one fan shouted Johnson’s signature WWE line, “Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?!,” which made the star laugh.
For the new film, the 53-year-old underwent an unrecognisable transformation to play MMA fighter and UFC pioneer Mark Kerr. Early reviews of the movie have already tipped Johnson for awards season recognition.
Kerr was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion, World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner, and a Pride FC competitor. He was previously the subject of a 2003 HBO documentary, also titled The Smashing Machine after Kerr’s longtime nickname.
The new film is written and directed by Safdie, who co-wrote and co-directed Uncut Gems, one of production company A24’s biggest commercial successes to date.
In the film, Johnson wears facial prosthetics to make him closely resemble Kerr, and he reportedly lost around 60 pounds to bring his weight closer to 240 lbs than his usual 300 lbs.
Speaking about The Smashing Machine last year, Johnson said: “I’m at a point in my career where I want to push myself in ways that I’ve not pushed myself in the past. I’m at a point in my career where I want to make films that matter, that explore a humanity and explore struggle [and] pain.”
He continued: “Benny wants to create, and continues to push the envelope when it comes to stories that are raw and real, characters that are authentic and at times uncomfortable and arresting.
But the Fast & Furious star added that he will not be leaving blockbuster productions behind for good, saying: “I want to be clear not to say that this is an abandonment of big, four-quadrant movies. I love making them, and there is tremendous value and importance in [them]… but there’s a time and a place for them.”
In The Independent’s five-star review of the film, Geoffrey Macnab wrote: “Safdie is forcing one of Hollywood’s most popular mainstream stars to grapple with parts of his personality that are usually left untouched. Johnson gives a performance of immense pathos, intensity and depth – one that looks bound to win him awards recognition.”
Macnab continued: “Co-star Emily Blunt (who previously worked with Johnson in the goofy action comedy Jungle Cruise) is likewise a long way out of her comfort zone as the wrestler’s loyal but emotionally unstable girlfriend. She is both his biggest support, and, at times, the agent of his destruction.”
