Like legendary UFC fighter Mark Kerr himself, Benny Safdie’s “ The Smashing Machine ” is soft yet brutal, reflective and thoughtful, and is able to rip through the charade of sports movie stereotypes to find a character whose off-stage persona is more riveting and evocative than anything that takes place within the octagon.

After an introductory sequence showcasing Kerr’s earliest fights (shot on VHS) Safdie takes us to Kerr’s low point: losing the biggest match of his career after being gaslit by his girlfriend, Dawn. From there Safdie rejects the hyperbolic tendencies of sports films in favor of understanding and documenting the man behind the fists. Arts & Entertainment

Review: 'One Battle After Another' offers plenty of visual sizzle, but no steak

By Joshua Hill For the Gazette-M

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