The Smashing Machine, which Safdie both wrote and directed, portrays Mark (the character, as distinguished from the real-life Kerr) from the time of his first bout in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, in 1997, to 2000. The period begins with victories and growing fame-though his achievements are shadowed and threatened by substance-abuse issues and conflict with his girlfriend, Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt)-and peters out with his climactic defeat in a big-money tournament that owes its high financial stakes to his earlier success.
Released on streaming today, the new Hulu biopic directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg ("Unpregnant") - which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival - begins Wolfe Herd's story as she's fresh out of college and attending a tech networking party in Los Angeles. It ends with her becoming the head of Bumble and the world's youngest self-made woman billionaire. James plays the lead with a perfect mix of naivety and girlboss cunning, showing Wolfe Herd's attempts to navigate through the boys' club of startup culture, becoming a pariah along the way and ultimately triumphing.
"It's been an unbelievable journey developing this film and bringing it to life feels surreal. Not only did the Scorpions' music help me get through tremendous difficulties as an Iranian immigrant in America in the early 80's, but their message of love, peace and rock 'n' roll seems more relevant today than ever."
It was refreshing to watch this film after now having sat through 30 years' worth of biopics of various musical figures. This movie removes pretty much all the baloney that most biopics think they need to include.
"If you spoke to my father, it was just a normal guy just speaking like I'm speaking to you now. But when my dad got pissed off that's when Frank Rizzo came out."