The Smashing Machine

"Dwayne Johnson Is a revelation in Benny Safdie’s laceratingly humane sports biopic."

"This is the most raw and vulnerable that Johnson has ever been on screen."

"Gritty and downbeat."

"Nimbly executed and oddly endearing."

"Grittier and more intimate than is typical for the genre."

"Remarkably tender while avoiding... overwrought sentimentality."

"(Safdie) understands that his greatest weapon here is his star. A weapon, and a gift."

"These characters... feel lived-in, not written, with flaws and attributes that chime with things we see in our family, our friends, ourselves."

"Smashing stuff has rarely been such smashing stuff."

"It starts to feel as if the make-up is doing all the film’s heavy lifting."

"The Rock is a revelation in a sweaty, bloody sports biopic that puts heart before glory."

"Far too frequently, the film feels locked into one mode and unable to access the other."

"Don't be surprised if Johnson is Oscar-nominated."

"A colossal performance by Dwayne Johnson rises above tame storytelling."

"A fascinating essay on physique and fame."

"(Johnson's) deepest, most nuanced and respectable work to date."