Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine,l” a Dwayne Johnson-led biopic about legendary mixed martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr, proved a smash hit on Monday at the Venice Film Festival.
The film scored a 15-minute standing ovation at the Sala Grande with Johnson, Safdie, co-star Emily Blunt, and even the real-life Kerr himself all in attendance and all getting teary-eyed throughout the event.
Seth Rogen, a guest at the screening, was also seen cheering on the film and snapping photos throughout.
With 17 reviews counted, the film sits at an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 75/100 on Metacritic which suggests a fairly strong film with praise for how it avoids cliche sports biopic formula and goes for something more raw and emotional.
The movie track’s Kerr’s path from the heights of fame to rock bottom battling a dependence on painkillers, and then back again. Blunt stars as the love of Kerr’s life, Dawn Staples-Kerr.
It marks a rare character-driven arthouse drama for Johnson who has spoken about stretching himself more and doing films he wants to do as opposed to what others want him to do.
He’s also drawn much discussion over his physical appearance at the fest, the actor notably slimmed down from his usual muscular self and looking very trim. The movie is set for release by A24 on October 3rd.
