The Machinist

 

• The Machinist 2004
• Director:  Brad Anderson
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Aitana Sánches-Gijón, John Sharian, Lawrence Gilliard Jr, Reg E Cathey, Anna Massey
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Christian Bale – American Hustle, Out of the Furnace, Batman 1-3, Public Enemies, Terminator Salvation, The Prestige, Equilibrium, American Psycho, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Velvet Goldmine, Little Women, Prince of Jutland, Swing Kids, Henry V
• Jennifer Jason Leigh – Annihilation, Good Time, The Hateful Eight, Margo at the Wedding, Road to Perdition, eXistenZ, A Thousand Acres, Georgia, Fast Times at Ridgemont High
• Aitana Sánches-Gijón – Back Woods
• Lawrence Gilliard Jr – The Wire, Homicide Life of the Street
• Anna Massey – Angels & Insects, Impromptu, and various series
• Why? Christian Bale
• Seen: 1 October 2023  

             The only thing I know about this film is that Bale starved himself for the role.

       Trevor (Bale) is indeed a machinist and he is indeed emaciated. It starts with him rolling up a corpse in a carpet and dumping it in the harbour. If that happens before what follows or if the whole film is a flashback is not immediately clear.

       In any case, Trevor is messed up. He hasn’t slept in a year, he continues to lose weight, he loses his job. Is he crazy and hallucinating? Or is someone out to get him?

       It’s a dark and suspenseful psychological thriller at least as good as any Hitchcock and it’s also a tragic tale of a nice guy fighting for his sanity. Or…?

       Bale is brilliant, but then he usually is.

 4 * of 5