Dwayne Johnson's 'The Smashing Machine' performance is the talk of Venice as he embraces a career pivot

'The Smashing Machine' tells the story of Mark Kerr, one of the early stars of mixed martial arts. Known for his dominance in the late 1990s, Kerr’s career was as defined by his battles outside the ring, including struggles with addiction and personal turmoil, as it was by his success inside it. The film explores both the rise and the costs of Kerr’s brutal profession.

While the film itself has garnered buzz, what has drawn the most attention at Venice is Johnson's physical transformation for the role.

Johnson slimmed down considerably for the role, a departure from the bulked-up look audiences know from his wrestling and action films. He is still muscular, but 'The Smashing Machine' places him firmly outside his usual action-star mode.

The film drew strong reviews at its Venice screening, and attention quickly shifted to Johnson as a potential Oscar contender. Not everyone praised during festival season ends up on the ballot, but his performance has clearly entered the conversation.

Speaking in Venice, Johnson signaled he is ready to take on more serious and dramatic roles. His acting chops were noted early in his career, but he quickly became synonymous with franchises. 'Black Adam' appears to have broken that pattern, and Johnson now seems eager for a new challenge.

He acknowledged he enjoyed making blockbusters — “some were really good and did well, and some not so good” — but added, “I just had this burning desire and voice that was saying, ‘What if there is more and what if I can?’”

As for the money quote, Johnson said:

I looked around a few years ago and I started to think, you know, am I living my dream or am I living other people’s dreams? You come to that recognition and I think you can either fall in line — Well, it’s status  quo, things are good, I don’t want to rock the boat — or go, I want to live my dreams now and do what I wanna do and tap into the stuff that I  want to tap into, and have a place finally to put all this stuff that I’ve experienced in the past that I’ve shied away from. I’ve been scared to go deep and intense and raw until now, until I had this opportunity.

While we are not noting the length of the ovation for 'The Smashing Machine,' Johnson was moved to tears by the response. That is not the kind of recognition you get for a 'Jumanji' sequel. If he does land an Oscar nomination, it seems likely Johnson will continue pursuing more dramatic roles.

At this point, it even feels plausible that both Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Adam Sandler could be Oscar nominees in 2025, setting up what should be a fascinating year for movies.

(h/t Variety)