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Release:
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2004, Paramount Classics
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Starring:
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Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, John Sharian
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Director:
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Brad Anderson
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Genre:
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Thriller/Mystery
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Opens:
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October 22, 2004
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Our Mini-Review of The Machinist
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Contributed by Michael Lee (October 2004)
As director Brad Anderson (Session 9) puts it, The Machinist is a psychological thriller that is less about a twist ending and more about the existential quest of one man for his true identity. The story follows the exploits of Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale), an industrial worker who has been strangely afflicted with a one year bout with insomnia. As his physical state relentlessly erodes, Reznik finds himself trapped in a surreal world in which delusions and memories collide. Though he has good reason to be paranoid, he cannot exactly pinpoint what that reason is. But as he begins to unravel that mystery, he slowly comes to the disturbing realization of his true identity--who and what he really is.
Audiences readily familiar with the reality-bending, paranormal thrillers of the last five years may find themselves able to decipher the mystery of The Machinist well before its skittish protagonist does. Still, the slight predictability does not entirely reverse the virtues of this film. The atmosphere--especially the music--is very reminiscent of Hitchcock, and the world Anderson and screenwriter Scott Kosar have created is a curiously unright rendition of Los Angeles. (The movie was actually shot entirely in Barcelona, Spain.)
And of course, there is the centerpiece of the film, the astonishing performance from lead actor Christian Bale. Known to most audiences for his work as the title character in American Psycho, and soon to be known as the latest incarnation of the Dark Knight in Batman Begins, Bale literally transformed himself for his role in The Machinist by losing about a third of his body weight, plummeting from the neighborhood of 180 to 120. The result is a visually wrenching appearance that is at first unbelievable, and subsequently disturbing. His performance is strong from both an acting and physical standpoint, and he should definitely be remembered by the Academy when Oscar season comes around.
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Production Photos
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Click on a thumbnail to view the full-sized picture.



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Photos from the Los Angeles Premiere
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Click on a thumbnail to view the full-sized picture.



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