Dwayne Johnson and Mark Kerr have a hit on their hands.
The Smashing Machine-the Kerr biopic starring Johnson-was screened at the Venice Film Festival on Monday and at the conclusion the film received a 15-minute standing ovation that left Johnson, Kerr, and director Benny Safdie in tears as they embraced and absorbed the moment.
Watch video of the ovation and the cast’s reactions below.
In the film, set for wide release on Oct. 3, Johnson takes on the role of Kerr, a two-time UFC tournament champion who faced enormous struggles in and out of competition. Advance reviews have been highly positive for Johnson, a well-known Hollywood action star who describes himself as having had to make a dramatic transformation for the role.
“I just sat in front of that mirror for three to four hours and watched it all change,” Johnson told Vanity Fair when describing the prosthetic process involved in becoming Kerr. “There were about 13 or 14 different prosthetics. Subtle, yet I think very impactful. By the time I got to set, I was Mark Kerr and I felt it, from how he walked to how he talked and how he looked at life.”
Advanced reviews have been highly positive for the biopic, with the film being nominated for the prestigious Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival and Johnson being singled out for his performance. The movie also features Academy Award nominee Emily Blunt, and MMA veterans Ryan Bader (playing Kerr’s friend Mark Coleman), Bas Rutten, and boxing star Oleksandr Usyk among other faces from the combat sports world.
The 56-year-old Kerr (15-11 [1 NC]) competed for the UFC in 1997, winning two heavyweight tournaments before moving on to star for Japan’s PRIDE promotion. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Pioneer Wing this past June.
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