" A little guilt goes a long way "

The Machinist

Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) is an industrial worker who lives a tragic and lonely life. He is an insomniac who hasn't been able to sleep for a year, is so thin he is putting his health at risk and on top of it all believes the few people in his life are involved in a plot to seek some form of revenge against him. As Reznik searches for answers he finds himself more and more isolated from his work colleagues and friends as he struggles to trust any of them. As Reznik's desperation escalates he begins to doubt himself and his own sanity.

 Director Brad Anderson and writer Scott Kosar have created a powerful and memorable psychological thriller. The location, lighting, characters and overall mood of the film creates a feeling of desperation and confusion as you try to understand what's going on. With the harrowing performance of Bale at the heart of the film.

The film keeps you guessing right to the end as you try to piece together the clues including the character of Ivan (John Sharian) that apparently only Reznik can see, the strange occurrences at Reznik's apartment or the significance of the time 1:30. Throughout the film you are trying to work out whether or not the unusual events are just in his head and understand what happened a year ago to cause his insomnia. For me the the conclusion was very clever and came as a surprise as I wasn't able to put together all of the hints and clues.

There are some strong performances from minor characters such as Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh) a prostitute Reznik frequently visists and Marie (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon) a waitress whom he becomes friends with. As well as John Sharian whose portrayal of Ivan was extremely disturbing but very effective. Yet this film belongs to Christian Bale whose performance and physical transformation is both unbelievable and mesmerising. Bale lost about 28kg for the role, weighing only 54kg, which has to be up there as one of the most drastic weight changes any actor has undergone for a role. Bale is well known for going to extreme lengths for his films but never before has his appearance changed so dramatically. Bale is unrecognisable as the ghostly figure of Reznik proving the dedication he has for his art.

This is a disturbing and haunting film that explores the damaging effects of guilt, paranoia and fatigue. Bale's performance is fascinating to watch and his portrayal is one that is hard to forget. The Machinist lingers with you long after you finish watching as you appreciate the true quality of the film, but ultimately after watching this film you simply feel like you need a good rest.