SATURDAY

Revving engines, squealing tires, black smoke belching from exhaust pipes: At first it seems like just another night at the amateur racetrack. Then the shrieking crunch of metal on metal rings through the air, the crowd roars its drunken approval, and you know you’re about to witness racing at its basest, most perversely entertaining form: the demolition derby. Jesse Moss’ documentary Speedo chronicles one year in the life of demolition-derby legend (and Exxon-station employee) Ed “Speedo” Jager (pictured), beginning with the ’99 summer season at Long Island’s Riverhead Raceway and concluding at the National Demolition Derby Championship in Fellsmere, Fla. On the track, Jager’s a relentless machine of destruction, whose knack for crashing into moving objects wins him numerous trophies, a loyal fan base, and a few modest checks. Jager’s home life, however, is a bigger wreck than the ’75 Cadillac he dispenses his brand of junk justice with. Speedo wastes no time in establishing the connection between Jager’s rage-fueled obsession and his personal life: Although he’s a devoted father to his two sons, Jager’s overwhelming desire to win is both cause and effect of his strained relationship with his wife, as well as other members of the beer-swilling, fist-throwing “demo” community. When Jager’s marriage of 20 years (10 of which he’s spent sleeping on the couch) finally collapses and he’s forced to move in with racing buddy Dino, the down-on-his-luck driver realizes it’s high time to reassess his dreams, love life, and self-destructive hobby. Moss and Jager will answer questions following the screening (part of the American Film Institute’s Silverdocs series; see Showtimes for a complete schedule of screenings) at 9:15 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at the AFI’s Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. $8.50. (301) 495-6776. (Matthew Borlik)