India, Oct. 8 -- Benny Safdie's The Smashing Machine is as much a celebration of MMA legend Mark Kerr's life as it is a diatribe on our obsession with phoenix-from-the-ashes stories from the world of sports. In this slow-burn, there is no promise of a happy ending. There is no rousing montage where the hero finds his mojo again, and no slow-mo shots of the fights. The Smashing Machine is as far removed from the world of Rocky and Warrior as a film on combat sports can be. But therein lies Benny Safdie's genius. This film is about a man battling his demons. The setting is incidental. This is Mark Kerr's life unfiltered, both inside and outside the octagon. Aided by brilliant performances from Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, it makes for an...