The Rock on the Ropes
Dwayne Johnson gets whupped in “The Smashing Machine,” from A24

The Rock on the Ropes

Dwayne Johnson gets the best reviews of his life for “The Smashing Machine,” so why are audiences choosing not to show up?

By Peter Travers

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How the hell did this happen? Did audiences not smell what The Rock was cooking? Dwayne Johnson took a major gamble on himself with “The Smashing Machine,” hoping that fans would embrace his first attempt to punch above his weight as an actor.