With just a month left before its official release, Dwayne Johnson is swapping blockbuster bravado for raw emotion in The Smashing Machine. Based on Mark Kerr, it is a striking departure from the action-packed roles that have defined his career. Directed by Bennie Safdie and produced by indie powerhouse A24, the film debuted at the Venice Film Festival to a standing ovation, sparking early Oscar buzz. “This transformation was something I was really hungry to do,” Johnson shared about his uncharacteristic turn in Safdie’s visceral drama. “I had been very fortunate to have the career that I’ve had over the years and to make the films that I’ve made, but there was just a voice inside of me, a little voice that said, ‘Well, what if I could do more, I want to do more and what does that loo

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