The Smashing Machine

John Hyams's 2002 documentary follows two years, 1999 to 2001, in the life of the fighter Mark Kerr. Kerr was then among the most dominant competitors in the world; the documentary records him not beating opponents but coming apart outside the ring. At its centre are painkiller addiction, violence in his relationship, and the obligation to keep competing with a body that is constantly injured. Hyams does not intervene; the camera stays in rooms, cars and locker rooms. What is uncomfortable is that the recorded collapse becomes something to watch. Kerr is articulate about his own condition, which leaves the viewer uneasy about the ethics of watching. Note: this 2002 documentary is separate from the 2025 fiction film drawn from the same material. Who it's for: those interested in sports documentaries and the early era of mixed martial arts. Who it's not for: viewers sensitive to addiction and intimate partner violence; both occur on camera.