The Machinist (2004)

The Machinist (2004)

Another film by Brad Anderson! This director made the fairly decent Stonehearst Asylum (2014) and The Silent Hour (2024), as well as the excellent The Call (2013).

In recent years, he’s made Worldbreaker (2025), which isn’t great. Yeah, he’s got some really good stuff and some really bad stuff, that’s for sure!

As for Session 9 (2001), it’s, sadly, just not a good film! It also had all the makings of a boring film, just like The Machinist, but Anderson knows how to make a film. He won’t be appearing on my list of bad directors to avoid any time soon.

I haven’t seen Beirut (2018) yet, but I’d be doubly interested, particularly because of the excellent Rosamund Pike. I’d be less interested, however, in the horror-drama Blood (2022) or the romantic comedy Next Stop Wonderland (1998). Happy Accidents (2000) might be fun to watch, unlike Vanishing on 7th Street (2010), which looks like it’ll be unbearable if I’m to believe the reviews. I’ll see if I have time, but once again, it’s not high on my list of priorities.

The Machinist is a rather grim film with a very dark atmosphere. It’s a sort of puzzle. I’m bound to give away a few spoilers, but I’ll mention the names of one or two films – which came to mind whilst watching this feature film – at the end of my review.

There will always be people who hate good films. Some found this film pointless or sickening. And sometimes, simply because Christian Bale is so emaciated! I hope these people don’t have too many problems in their lives, otherwise they might not be able to cope for very long!

No, because I actually read: ‘It’s hard to watch this film without feeling a real urge to vomit. Christian Bale is so emaciated that it’s hard not to feel nauseous, especially as there are numerous ‘topless’ scenes that are completely unnecessary.’ I’ve also, unfortunately, read: ‘You take the DVD out of the player, return it to the video shop and vow never to rent another film by an unknown American director…’ Seriously? As if I didn’t already have to correct these reviews, which are riddled with mistakes. These people who are complaining can’t even write properly! And then they lump everyone together! That’s a bit of a cop-out!!!

Surely we could also admire Bale for putting so much effort into this role, couldn’t we?! What do you think??? His sacrifice in losing 30 kilos for the role wasn’t in vain. Yet another of his breathtaking performances in this very dark thriller, which has a well-crafted plot and a solid screenplay.

You can believe in this film for almost an hour, but then comes the plot twist! And when you realise what’s going on, you can either see it as a massive bluff… or fully appreciate what the director has achieved. As for me, I’ve made my choice!

A very good, extremely unsettling film. The direction is almost flawless and the acting is simply incredible (it’s also a pleasure to see Jennifer Jason Leigh, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón and Michael Ironside again), all set against a chilling atmosphere! You can see certain plot points coming, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that they’re handled well and effectively.

The Machinist is a very good psychological thriller. It’s the story of Trevor Reznik, a factory worker who is extremely tired and emaciated, having not slept for over a year. He divides his nights between the airport café, where he meets the charming and lovely Marie, the waitress, and the flat of the prostitute Stevie. For some time now, his life has been growing increasingly strange. Who is leaving coded messages in his flat? Why does Marie look so much like his mother? As for Stevie, she seems to know the new employee at his factory, Ivan, very well. A very strange man, this Ivan. Disturbing and unsettling, he seems to be constantly watching Trevor, who will try to understand what all these mysteries mean…

A film that deserves to be much better known and to have been a bigger hit. Well… maybe not, actually! Because, come to think of it, it would then be accessible to everyone and lose some of its mystery.

It’s not the sort of film you see at the Oscars – it’s too Hollywood – and I wonder how Christian Bale wasn’t even nominated for his absolutely incredible performance. Perhaps that’s why I’ve long since lost interest in that parade… er… that ceremony, sorry!

In short, an intelligent, sinister and gripping psychological thriller, with a heavy, oppressive and intense pace. A little gem of the genre. The cinematography, with its cold beauty, really brings out the best in the film, complementing its tortured, dark, complex, surprising and very well-thought-out screenplay. The masterful and gripping direction creates a harrowing atmosphere and puts our nerves to the test, as if we ourselves were suffering from insomnia and on the brink of madness, right up to that finale which leaves us speechless.

In conclusion:

I’m simply going to quote part of another review that I think is excellent: ‘The intelligence of the script and Brad’s direction are further enhanced by the best thing about this film: Christian Bale’s truly masterful performance, skeletal and almost unrecognisable, in a role that will go down as one of the defining moments of his career! And the sacrifices he made for this film (losing 30 kilos, no less) will make all those over-hyped stars look pathetic – the ones who grow a beard, shave their heads or put on a bit of a paunch for a role and think they’ve given it their all… In any case, a masterpiece of film noir and psychological thrillers!”

I can see exactly what he means. But we shouldn’t disparage those who commit themselves in other ways either. Not everyone can go to such lengths! Actors have their specialities, and changing their appearance – precisely through beards, hair (long, short, coloured, etc.), glasses, fake tattoos – is part of that. It’s still acting. Just because someone gives their all doesn’t mean the others are worthless.

Well, as my review draws to a close, I shall, as promised, finish by mentioning the two films that came to mind whilst watching this feature film. One is Memento (2000), as one of my friends pointed out, and the other is Stay (2005). The former stars the excellent duo of Guy Pearce and Carrie-Anne Moss, whilst Stay features the fabulous trio of Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Ryan Gosling. But let’s not forget that Bob Hoskins is also in the cast!