The Rock, a former wrestler and action champion actor, for the first time in competition at the Lido in a film that tells the world of struggle with quiet realism. “It was a long time since I wanted a role like this.” And now I dream of the Oscars?
Forget epic scenes or screaming drama Rocky, Creed – Born to fight or the recent The Warrior – The Iron Claw. The Smashing Machinewhile telling the story and matches of Mark Kerrone of the American pioneers of Mma (Mixed Martial Arts) and among the greatest wrestlers, is a “Pacato” film, with a narrative style different from the usual stories of combat sport. And this is its greatest value. Has a deep and quiet realismwithout exasperated hysteria and effect spectacularizations. But … do you have the right weight to find yourself in competition at the Venice Film Festival 2025?
Applause in the large room at the first projection for the press.
Produced by A24, The Smashing Machine It is the debut for the solo direction of Benny Safdiethirty -nine years old New York who had already directed with his brother Josh Rough diamondsgiving Adam Sandler an exceptionally dramatic role. Now gives to Dwayne Johnson Alias The Rock, the former wrestler today Hollywood’s most paid action actor, the first time in Venice. And the dream of an Oscar nomination. Will the turning point for him towards more intense roles and great festivals?
“It was a long time since I wanted a role like this”confesses The Rock. «When you are in Hollywood it is very important to find the box office and this can relegate to a corner, channel into a category. The films I have made so far enjoy me, some are also beautiful, they were successful, but I understood that there was an internal little voice that told me “What if I could do something different?”. It is difficult when you are classified. I don’t think I have to try anything in Hollywood, I simply do it for me ».
Free heart, very tender in his giant amount, Johnson continues: “A few years ago I asked myself:” Am I living my dream or the dream of others? “. I don’t want to undermine the base of what has been done so far but I want to do something for me. Until the opportunity of this film, however, the idea of getting barely frightened me. “
It is to be admitted, in The Smashing Machine The Rock his does it all right. In his mountain of impregnable muscles, which he even had to magnify for the part, he manages to profound to his Mark Kerr humanity and competitive tension. Emily Blunt He plays his girlfriend, to whom he is linked by a relationship that sometimes tinged with silent manipulation.
Nicknamed The Smashing Machine, the destructive machine, Mark Kerr was one of the greatest samples of MMA, today fifty -six years old who at the end of the film greets smiling aimed at the camera. He also greets from the Lido, present with the cast and excited.
115 kilos for 1.91 in height, in 1997 Kerr made his debut in the world of professional MMAs and then introduced into the UFC. And it is from here that the story of Benny Safdie starts, who also wrote and co-produced the feature film.
“Winning is the most beautiful feeling,” says Dwayne Johnson’s Kerr. Be incited by an audience of 40 thousand people? As “an orgasm”. But Kerr, while he has to learn to digest the first defeats, fights against an addiction to painkillers who undermine his successes as an athlete.
The story that parades on the big screen in truth has little new and does not particularly stimulate the spectator’s interest. In the’balance of tones However, he finds his point of solidity and a connection of intimacy.
“It is a film that speaks a lot about inner pain,” says the screenwriter director.
“Do you hate when you fight?” Asks Kerr/Johnson a nice old woman in the doctor’s waiting room. Absolutely not, there is no hatred at all among the wrestlers. Behind the scenes of the octagonal cage there are close hands between athletes, concern for the wounds inflicted, a pleasant fraternal spirit. The relationship between Kerr and the coach and mentor Mark Coleman (played by the mixed martial artist is very beautiful Ryan Bader).
“In the 90s there were such experimental activities!” Safdie says. «The community of wrestlers was very close, they respected very much together. I wanted to explore this contradiction between the world of struggle and the closeness that was between athletes “.
As Kerr says in the film, according to the stereotype, mixed martial arts are considered the most bloody and bloody sport. For example, it is forbidden to get the eyes but the kicks are allowed in the face. The most sensitive can still be calm: only a few times it is necessary to cover your eyes for the brutality of the fighting.
Safdie explains: «I didn’t want to be in the ring. I had this rule: we will always be out. I wanted it to be seen as if you were in the public, among the first rows, to observe the struggle».
This year Mark Kerr was included in the prestigious UFC Hall of Fame.
The film will debut in the United States on 3 October and then arrive in Italian theaters on the November 19, 2025distributed by I Wonder Pictures and Unipol Biografilm Collection in collaboration with Wise Pictures.
