The Machinist

UK Release Date. 18 March 2005
Certification. 15
Running Time. 1 hour 41 mins
Director. Brad Anderson
Cast. Christian Bale, Michael Ironside, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, John Sharian.
Rating. 71%

Review.

The most immediate point of interest in The Machinist is the physical appearance of Christan Bale. No digital body-sculpting was involved in this transformation, instead, the actor lost more than 60lb to play the role of the insomniac, factory worker Trevor Reznik. Throughout the film, the presence of the actor's protruding ribs and vertebrae is constantly unnerving. Yet, Bale's haunting portrayal remains the anchor for the film, with a depth of performance beyond the superficial shock value of his emaciated skeleton.

There may be criticism that director Brad Anderson is travelling a well-worn path, revisiting the psychological torment seen in Fight Club, Memento or Insomnia. A study of sleep-deprived deterioration where confused narration continually maintains an element of doubt before the inevitable realisation as the plot comes into sharp focus at the film's conclusion. Throughout the film, Anderson maintains the audience at arm's length, so although we observe Reznik's confusion, and increasing paranoia, we are never part of it. The viewer must choose whether or not to sympathise with the main protagonist, bearing in mind that most of what we see is a figment of Reznik's guilt-ridden unconsciousness. 

Director Brad Anderson would appear to draw inspiration from the likes of David Lynch, Roman Polanski and Alfred Hitchcock. The sequence where Reznik follows the red Firebird is particularly Hitchcockian, and evokes immediate comparison with Marion Crane's (Janet Leigh) opportunistic escape in Psycho. Like Hitchcock, Anderson routinely employs cross-fades and overlaps to cement the idea of a dream-like state, which is only reinforced by the sombre palette devoid of vibrant colours.

Whilst The Machinist is pedestrian at times, the film remains captivating, combining graphic disbelief with a standout performance from Christian Bale.