The Smashing Machine , directed by Benny Safdie, made its debut at the Venice Film Festival on September 1. The film is also nominated for the festival’s most prestigious award, the Golden Lion for Best Film.

This film is especially meaningful to the main actor, superstar Dwayne Johnson, as it was his acting turning point.

Overcome yourself

The 2025 Venice Film Festival is packed with multigenerational stars, from George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Jude Law to Jacob Elordi, Emma Stone and Ayo Edebiri. But Dwayne Johnson’s appearance on Monday at the world premiere of The Smashing Machine was still a standout moment.

A familiar face in action movies, this is The Rock’s debut in serious drama. “This transformation is something I’ve been dying to do,” Johnson said of his unusual role in director Bennie Safdie’s introspective film.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have the career I have and to have made the films I have, but there’s a voice inside me, a little voice that says, ‘Oh, what if I could do more? I want to do more and what would that look like?'” he shared.

The Smashing Machine was a bold leap for Johnson, right at the height of his career. He was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, but he was known for big blockbusters rather than for prestige, subtle, emotional films.

As a result, the debut of The Smashing Machine is being welcomed by millions of Johnson action movie fans. Meanwhile, film experts are assessing Johnson’s chances of winning the Oscar for Best Actor.

The film was produced by independent film studio A24 with a budget of 40 million USD. This is quite a modest number compared to the huge investment in action blockbusters that Johnson has starred in.

Written and directed by Safdie, The Smashing Machine follows Mark Kerr – two-time UFC heavyweight champion and MMA icon – played by Johnson.

The story follows Kerr’s rapid rise in the 1990s – a time when MMA had no strict rules – and the issues he struggled with outside the ring.

The film is inspired by Kerr’s real-life career (chronicled in the 2002 HBO documentary of the same name) and delves into his trauma, addiction, and struggle to get back on track.

Johnson was deeply moved when talking about Kerr’s struggle. Sitting near the front row at the Venice Film Festival press conference, Kerr was moved as Johnson shared his story.

“Mark Kerr was the greatest fighter in the world, but this movie is not really about fighting. It’s about love,” Johnson said, tearfully. “This is about the love between Kerr and Dawn Staples, about Kerr’s love for what he does – the fights in the ring, the challenges and the effort to overcome it all.”

Deep empathy

This is Benny Safdie’s first film without his brother Josh Safdie – with whom he has made a series of hit horror films such as Good Time (2017), starring Robert Pattinson; and Uncut Gems (2019), starring Adam Sandler.

Dwayne Johnson’s co-star in the film is Emily Blunt. As Dawn Staples, Kerr’s wife, Blunt brings a new emotional tone compared to the chemistry she built with Johnson in the blockbuster Jungle Cruise (2021).

In real life, Blunt is often referred to by Johnson as her “best friend”. She met director Safdie when they starred together in the Oscar-winning film Oppenheimer and introduced Johnson to Safdie.

“Since we worked together on  Jungle Cruise , she’s been very encouraging and trusting. She said, ‘You know, there’s a place where you can let go of things that happened as a kid. That’s where you love to be, which is acting. And you have me. So, let’s do this together,'” Johnson recalled when Blunt asked him to star in  The Smashing Machine .

“So this change wouldn’t have happened without my best friend being there to support and encourage me,” Johnson said, thanking Blunt for helping him make a big career change.

Johnson understands that the revenue issue is “quite loud” and can easily put actors “in a corner”. They are told by the industry that “this is your path” and “this is what people want you to do”.

That’s why Johnson has starred in so many blockbuster action movies. He loves them (“They’re fun,” he says). But he finds it “hard to know what you’re capable of when you’re boxed in,” and he’s burning with desire to explore his own abilities.

Luckily, thanks to people he “loves and respects,” Blunt and Safdie, he was able to push himself beyond his limits to embody a role as complex as Kerr.

At the Venice Film Festival, Safdie described The Smashing Machine as “the perfect onomatopoeia for something so visual, so easily evoking images of domination and destruction”.

“Mark Kerr is The Smashing Machine . His power is evident outside the ring because he has a unique ability to express his emotions… Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt and I were always thinking, ‘What is the real Mark Kerr? What is the real Dawn Staples?'” – Safdie said of the film’s complexity.

“We wanted to really immerse ourselves in the characters. I call this ‘root empathy’. This empathy is magical and I want this film to remain a memorable memory for everyone who sees it.” Indeed! At the Venice Film Festival, the audience applauded for 15 and a half minutes after watching the film. Social media exploded with compliments for the film. Especially Johnson, he has really overcome his own shadow and is a promising candidate for the Oscar! The 123-minute film is scheduled to be released on October 3.