"In our storytelling world, you can't control box office results but what I realized you can control is your performance, and your commitment to completely disappear and go elsewhere. And I will always run to that opportunity. It hasn't earned millions in revenue, but it has achieved something more significant: placing his name, for the first time, on the list of possible Oscar nominees for Best Actor."
"The project, directed by Benny Safdie and produced by the independent hitmaker A24, has long been cherished by the actor, who found in it similarities with his own career. Based on the life of mixed martial artist Mark Kerr and the documentary The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr (2002), it tells of his success and subsequent descent into hell, as well as his struggle with addiction and the toxic relationship he had with his wife, Dawn Staples."
"The film hasn't convinced an audience hoping for a new action movie to add to Johnson's filmography, nor has it enticed the serious cinema fans, who feared walking into another action film by The Rock. Instead it has remained in no man's land, despite the critical acclaim it has received. The actor delivers an intoxicating mix of blood, sweat, tears, protein and total helplessness, wrote The Hollywood Reporter."
The Smashing Machine grossed about $6 million in its first week, far below Dwayne Johnson's major action hits like Fast & Furious and San Andreas. Johnson acknowledged the modest box office and emphasized control over performance and commitment. The film placed his name among potential Best Actor nominees despite limited revenue. Directed by Benny Safdie and produced by A24, the film adapts the life of mixed martial artist Mark Kerr and the 2002 documentary, portraying success, descent into addiction, and a toxic marriage to Dawn Staples. The movie failed to fully attract action fans or serious cinephiles but received notable critical acclaim.
Read at english.elpais.com
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