What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Smashing Machine
Benny Safdie · Film · 2025
If you loved The Smashing Machine, start with aka Charlie Sheen (Andrew Renzi, 2025) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Smashing Machine across media.
If you were captivated by The Smashing Machine, you will find yourself drawn to these raw explorations of human fragility and public struggle.
Books on the same thread
Dreamland
Sam Quinones · Book · 2015
Explores: Opioid Crisis, Drug Addiction, Pharmaceutical Industry.
Just as The Smashing Machine exposes the devastating cost of opioid dependence, this investigation reveals the systemic forces behind the crisis that eventually claimed so many lives.
Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games)
Suzanne Collins · Book · 2025
Explores: Rebellion, Oppression, Survival.
Like the internal pressure felt by Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, this story captures the crushing weight of survival when you are forced into a brutal arena.
American Prometheus
Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin · Book
Explores: Moral ambiguity, Scientific ethics, Genius and hubris.
The Smashing Machine explores the psychological toll of elite performance, a theme mirrored in this portrait of a man whose genius is inextricably linked to his moral unraveling.
COOL MACHINE
Colson Whitehead · Book
Explores: systemic corruption, urban decay, social mobility.
You will recognize the gritty atmosphere of The Smashing Machine in this dive into the criminal underworld, where personal ambition is constantly tested by a harsh urban reality.
Series on the same thread
Senna
Vicente Amorim · Series · 2024
Explores: Fame and Fortune, Tragedy, Overcoming Adversity.
Much like the tragic trajectory of the fighter in The Smashing Machine, this account of a legendary racer examines how intense public fame can lead to profound personal isolation.
Dopesick
Danny Strong · Series · 2021
Explores: Opioid Addiction, Corporate Greed, Pharmaceutical Industry.
This series mirrors the addiction narrative found in The Smashing Machine, broadening the scope from an individual struggle to the corporate greed that fueled a national health disaster.
aka Charlie Sheen
Andrew Renzi · Series · 2025
Explores: Addiction and Recovery, Hollywood Excess, Public Image vs. Private Life.
If the cycle of substance abuse and public scrutiny in The Smashing Machine resonated with you, this documentary provides a similarly intimate look at the cost of celebrity.
Chief of War
Thomas Pa'a Sibbett · Series · 2025
Explores: Unification, Cultural Preservation, Colonialism.
The raw intensity of combat seen in The Smashing Machine is echoed here, as a lone warrior faces the immense pressure of securing his people's future through violence.
Podcasts on the same thread
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
The Smashing Machine examines the personal consequences of extreme power, a theme Dan Carlin explores by dissecting the moral ambiguity of history's most consequential and flawed figures.
The Big Picture
Podcast
Explores: Hollywood, Awards Season, Film Criticism.
After witnessing the directorial craft in The Smashing Machine, turn to this podcast for a deeper analysis of the filmmaking process and the evolution of modern cinema.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Smashing Machine based on a true story?
The Smashing Machine is a 2025 film directed by Benny Safdie that chronicles the life of mixed martial artist Mark Kerr during the late 1990s as he balances his professional aspirations with personal struggles involving opioid dependence and his relationship with his girlfriend Dawn.
What is the primary conflict in The Smashing Machine?
The central conflict in The Smashing Machine follows Mark Kerr as he strives to become the world's greatest mixed martial artist while simultaneously battling a severe opioid dependence and navigating a volatile romantic relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn, throughout the late 1990s.
Who directed The Smashing Machine?
The Smashing Machine is directed by Benny Safdie. The 2025 film explores the professional and personal life of mixed martial artist Mark Kerr, focusing on his rise in the sport during the 1990s and his ongoing struggles with addiction and his relationship with Dawn.
What time period does The Smashing Machine cover?
The Smashing Machine is set in the late 1990s. The film documents the career of mixed martial artist Mark Kerr as he works toward becoming the best fighter in the world while managing his opioid dependence and a difficult relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn.