Dwayne Johnson takes on a dramatic role as UFC fighter Mark Kerr in “The Smashing Machine,” which premieres globally Monday at the Venice Film Festival.
Although reviews haven’t been released yet, there’s already Oscar buzz surrounding Johnson’s performance in Benny Safdie’s film. The festival has been the starting point for several recent best actor Oscar winners, like Brendan Fraser for “The Whale” and Adrien Brody for “The Brutalist.” Similar to these films, “The Smashing Machine” is also being distributed by A24.
Alberto Barbera, Venice’s artistic director, mentioned he wouldn’t be shocked to see Johnson, whom he described as “absolutely amazing” in the film, and Emily Blunt, who portrays Kerr’s wife, among next year’s Oscar nominees.
“When I first saw images from the film last January, I thought it had potential outside the competition,” Barbera told The Associated Press earlier this week. “However, after watching it, I realized it’s a remarkable movie.”
Kerr, a two-time UFC heavyweight tournament champion and MMA fighter, retired in 2009. Nicknamed “The Smashing Machine,” Kerr battled with addiction to painkillers and opioids, having overdosed twice.
Before becoming widely recognized as the star of blockbuster franchises like “Jumanji” and “Fast & Furious,” along with his roles as a producer and businessman, Johnson first gained fame in wrestling. Coming from a third-generation wrestling family, he achieved eight WWE championships.
Safdie is an actor, who recently appeared in “Oppenheimer” and “Happy Gilmore 2,” and filmmaker who, along with his brother Josh, codirected “Uncut Gems.”
In his director’s statement for “The Smashing Machine,” Safdie called the title, “a perfect onomatopoeia for something visual, conjuring images of domination and destruction with ease.”
He added, “Dwayne, Emily and I kept thought ‘what is it like to really be Mark Kerr, what is it like to really be Dawn Staples?’ We wanted to empathize with these characters in a way that felt like our own feelings… I wanted this movie to exist as a memory for everyone who watches it.”
The film is playing in the main competition, with titles like “Frankenstein,”“Bugonia,” “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” “La Grazia ” and “No Other Choice” also vying for the top prizes, including acting and directing awards. Winners will be announced on Sept. 6.
“The Smashing Machine” will open in North American theaters on Oct. 3.
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