Forget the jungle. Forget the superheroes. This is The Smashing Machine.
At BigScreens, we celebrate films that challenge the medium.This latest A24 production does exactly that. Directed by Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems), this biopic tells the raw, true story of Mark Kerr. Kerr was legend in the early days of the ufc. He was a powerhouse known as “The Smashing Machine”. But his biggest fight wasn’t in the cage it was himself.
The Smashing Transformation
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson sheds his movie-star skin for this role. Through incredible prosthetics and a haunting performance, he becomes Kerr. He captures the sweat, the pain, and the heavy toll of addiction. This isn’t an action movie; it is a clinical study of a man pushed to his breaking point.
The Aesthetic
Safdie brings his signature “stress-cinema” energy to the screen. Every frame feels urgent and intimate. Accompanied by Emily Blunt, who delivers a piercing performance as Dawn Staples, the film is a masterclass in modern biographical storytelling.
Why we’re screening it: It’s rare to see a global icon take a risk this big. It’s gritty, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s essential cinema.
Forward to BAM
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