‘The Smashing Machine’ Screening Reveals There Is Even More Layers To Dwayne Johnson’s Performance!

 

by Evan L. Jackson

  Going into the second outing of me seeing “The Smashing Machine” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson there was a more nuanced approach to the film. The more I thought abou it, the film doesn’t display a triumphant win. And there is the extra layer of Dwayne’s performance. I explaining to my friend Akeem this film and its synopsis is the antethesis of “The Rock”’s career. The bravado and hero role all stripped down to someone, to quote Dwayne’s words “can disappear”. This screening at the Crescent theater in Beverly Hills moderated by Oscar winning actress Charlize Theron with actor/ producer Dwayne Johnson and “The Smashing Machine” prosthetics designer Kazu Hiro was special. Giving me a realization of a quote my dad use to tell me “Sometimes when you win you lose and sometimes when you lose you win.”

    During the Q&A after the screening Charlize Theron gushed about how brilliant Dwayne’s performance was and the depths he has to goto. He noted that his co-star; Academy Award nominated actress Emily Blunt helped him reach those dark depths. Dwayne saying he pulled from childhood memories of his own father in the world of wrestling as well as recent memory of friends he had lost in the wresting world. The reason why this film works is because the pain and anguish is heavily felt and on the shoulders of Dwayne. Him portraying Mark Kerr is the most vulnerable role to date and I feel needs to be recognized this awards season.

   Kazu Hiro had also worked with Charlize Theron on “Bombshell” transforming her into Megyn Kelly for the role. The conversation at the Q&A between the three of them (Kazu, Charlize and Dwayne) made for a fascinating observation. How one sees themselves in the mirror after being transformed into this character. For Dwayne it was a great opportunity for him to disappear in this role. And he surely did but it made for a good character study. Mark losing the final fight but gaining his life and winning at life was the greatest trade off.