Reportedly spending 4 hours a day in the makeup chair, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson transformed himself into mixed martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr for A24’s “The Smashing Machine.” If you want to stack that up against “Frankenstein” and Jacob Elordi’s transformation into the Monster, he spent 10 to 11 hours in the chair. One big difference to note is that Dwayne was being very active in his prosthestics, running, jumping, and simulating fights in the ring. For those makeup pieces to not just fall off during all the sweating is a feat in and of its own, especially for a shorter application time than “Frankenstein.”

Dwayne Johnson does a great job disappearing into the role, whether it’s his voice or the award-nominated makeup, you barely recognize one of the most famous athletes in history. Emily Blunt also blends into her role, as Kerr’s volatile partner, who champions him one minute and demoralizes him the next. She can look absolutely stunning, but then absolutely insane within a few moments of the same scene. Together, they create the heart and struggles of the film. Kerr is exactly what the title describes him as, and were it not for his personal demons, you get the sense that he could defeat anybody. You get a glimpse of that in the opening scene. But when his drug use and domestic situation bleed into the ring, he tastes defeat and it doesn’t agree with his tummy.

The most interesting aspect of the film is how the in-ring fight sequences mirror the at-home disputes, where you get the sense that both have the same stakes. Whether it’s Kerr tearing a door from its hinges with ease, or kneeing an oppoonent in the head until a “Knock Out” is declared, both are filmed in a way that feel dire. Johnson makes this role his own and really does take that first big leap into serious acting. It’s also cool how Benny Safdie included actual footage of the real Mark Kerr, and honoring him with this film, where we might otherwise be a forgotten pillar of one of the most well-known sports in the world, is a nice justification for the film. Will it win the Oscar? Likely not, as “Frankenstein,” or in a distant second place, “Sinners” seem poised to take that honor, having just won the Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild top honors.