The Smashing Machine

The Smashing Machine, directed by Benny Safdie and produced by A24, marks a bold reinvention for Dwayne Johnson, who sheds his blockbuster persona to deliver a raw and vulnerable performance as MMA legend Mark Kerr. Premiering to critical acclaim at the Venice Film Festival 2025, the film has been hailed as a career-defining moment for Johnson, praised for his willingness to strip away the polished charisma that made him a global superstar and instead embrace Kerr’s fragility, flaws, and inner turmoil.

The film also features Emily Blunt as Kerr’s partner Dawn Staples, adding emotional depth to the story of love and struggle. Together, they bring authenticity and weight to the intimate portrait of a man caught between triumph in the ring and chaos in his personal life.

At Venice, critics and audiences alike celebrated the film not just as a gripping sports drama, but as a revelation — a reinvention of Dwayne Johnson as an actor, proving his range and depth in a way unseen before. The Smashing Machine is both a testament to Kerr’s complicated life and to Johnson’s own fearless leap into new artistic territory.