Christopher Nolan Calls Dwayne Johnson’s THE SMASHING MACHINE “Incredible” – “I don’t think you’ll see a better performance this year”

Dwayne Johnsonthe latest film by The destructive machineit may not be a box office success, but it’s winning over one of Hollywood’s biggest directors. Christopher Nolanthe visionary behind it Oppenheimer AND The Dark Knightpraised Johnson’s performance as one of the best of the year.

Talking to Benny Safdie on the Director’s Guild of America podcast The Director’s Cut, Nolan shared his admiration for Johnson’s transformation into a real-life MMA fighter Marco Kerrsaying:

“It’s heartbreaking. I think it’s an incredible performance. I don’t think you’ll see a better performance this year.”

This is huge praise from the director known for coaxing powerful performances from his own casts.

The destructive machine tells the story of two-time UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr, whose rise to fame in the world of MMA was overshadowed by addiction, strained relationships and the pressures of success.

Written and directed by Benny Safdie, one half of the acclaimed Uncut gems duo, the film also stars Emily Blunt as Kerr’s girlfriend, Dawn.

Despite strong critical response and a solid 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film struggled to find an audience in theaters. The destructive machine it only earned $13.8 million worldwide against a $50 million budget. Its opening weekend grossed just $5.9 million, the lowest of Johnson’s career.

It’s an astonishing achievement, especially when compared to A24’s previous sports biopic The Iron Clawwhich became a financial and critical success. But with Nolan’s glowing endorsement now making the rounds, the film could see a resurgence as more and more moviegoers discover what many critics have already praised as Johnson’s rawest and most emotional performance to date.

The destructive machine is currently playing in select theaters.