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Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's performance in "The Smashing Machine" at the Venice Film Festival received a 15-minute standing ovation, prompting tears of joy from Johnson, director Benny Safdie, and the film's inspiration, Mark Kerr. Johnson's transformation for the role, using extensive prosthetics, is significant. He aims to take on more challenging roles that explore deeper themes of humanity and struggle, a departure from his usual action-movie roles. The film's success has sparked Oscar buzz for Johnson.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.