Dwayne Johnson has real acting chops hidden under his wrestling muscles – and I’m thrilled

The Smashing Machine, featuring Dwayne Johnson’s long-awaited turn as UFC icon Mark Kerr, is the Hollywood star’s potential ticket to the upper echelons of his industry, where thespians and Oscar winners reside.

And with Johnson’s performance, the former wrestling star has truly earned his right to a place there.

Previously the highest-paid movie star in the world, Johnson has never had an issue with success – his 2021 Netflix action flick Red One was only just recently dethroned as the platform’s most-watched movie ever.

But he has struggled to break free from his pigeonholes as either an action man or a light comedy lead (or preferably both, combined).

Johnson has sensibly bolstered his dramatic debut with sterling support from his Jungle Cruise co-star and close pal Emily Blunt, as well as by placing himself in the hands of filmmaker Benny Safdie.

Not only does Safdie’s indie edge suggest a further air of quality in which the actor can envelop himself, but Johnson is making it clear he’s stepped away from the brash studio and franchise-led movies of his past.

Kerr might not be a sporting figure mainstream audiences are all familiar with, like a David Beckham or a Serena Williams, but he was a trailblazer for combat sports and the huge entertainment industry that has sprung out of it – of which Johnson was also a beneficiary and star.

So it’s clear that the topic holds a special resonance for its lead actor, and while we may have seen many sports biopics before, Safdie also demonstrates a refreshing approach, choosing not to chart the highs and lows of a full career via major wins and losses.

Instead, this is much more of a psychological sports drama, focusing on the mindset Kerr had in his career and the toll it took on him during a brief period from 1997 to 2000.

In this regard, it’s a ‘smaller’ movie and does sometimes get weighed down by the detail of day-to-day life – but it’s different from the norm.

The Smashing Machine opens quite literally with Johnson pummeling an opponent, making short work of roundly beating him. Post-match reports reveal his ruthless methods in a sport that, at the time, was routinely banned for its bloody and gory nature.

He reveals that he will ‘physically impose’ himself on opponents to win – he has a perfect record – and won’t hesitate to stick his finger into a cut they may have to ‘spread it around a bit more’ and ensure his victory.

It’s absolutely brutal but delivered by Johnson in a gentle but politely direct manner with a smile – such was Kerr’s way, very different from Johnson’s own showboating as a ‘heel’ in his WWE career or the less complex acting parts he normally plays.

It also must be noted that Johnson looks utterly ripped to an almost astounding degree – he actually focused on getting bigger to play Kerr, but he’s already in such incredible shape that it’s easy (but unfair) to let that pass by without comment. The man is in his 50s!

Already in the grips of an addiction he keeps private – but is no secret from those closest to Kerr – The Smashing Machine shines a light on the worrying ease with which this was managed, the odd, mundane nature of it, and the shame that the wrestler keeps buried.

Johnson juggles all of this with aplomb. His acting is quiet but laser-focused, avoiding falling into the trap of showing us all everything he can do all at once now that he’s been given creative licence to do so.

At the heart of the film is Kerr’s relationship with Dawn, a turbulent but loving one that sometimes pushes him to the brink (as multiple ripped-in-half doors can testify). It’s desperately sad watching the couple try and fail to see eye to eye, while the volatile Dawn struggles to support her partner.

Blunt is the perfect foil to Johnson, with Dawn’s erraticness causing friction with Kerr’s more measured approach. The two actors share an easy chemistry, which has now been developed into a much more nuanced onscreen bond.

But this is Johnson’s movie, which Blunt is happy to support – it’s a pivotal moment in his career, and he’s delivered a knockout, thanks to a solid screenplay from Safdie.

While we may never be in desperate need of another biopic, this part for this actor is a premise few will be able to resist.

The Smashing Machine premiered at Venice Film Festival on Monday. It’s released in UK cinemas on October 3.

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