The Machinist

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The Machinist

R,

2004,

1h 41m,

Mystery & Thriller

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Watchlist

Watchlist

76%

140 Reviews

Tomatometer

83%

100,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

140 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Factory worker Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) suffers from insomnia so severe that his condition has taken its toll on his weight and his mental health. When Trevor unintentionally causes an on-the-job accident that horribly injures a coworker (Michael Ironside), he begins to become even more troubled. Despite a relationship with Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a pretty prostitute, Trevor descends further into paranoia, blaming his problems on an enigmatic figure named Ivan (John Sharian).

Critics Consensus

Brad Anderson's dark psychological thriller about a sleepless factory worker is elevated by Christian Bale astonishingly committed performance.

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Andrea Gronvall

Chicago Reader

Oct 24, 2011

Until now Bale's screen persona has been defined by a graceful athleticism; here his physicality is repellent, yet he carries the occasionally creaky plot of Scott Kosar's unsettling screenplay to a resonant finish.

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Ian Nathan

Empire Magazine

Apr 1, 2006

3/5

A few scenes into the gloom and you'll have a good idea what is generally up, if not the specifics, making the journey toward the eventual, inevitable twist fairly one-dimensional.

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Feb 9, 2006

One can't deny the dubious appeal of the spectacle of the skin-and-bone Bale, quite possibly endangering his health for the sake of his art.

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Aug 4, 2024

FIVE STARS

"The Machinist" is a well-crafted psychological thriller about self-deception and tragedy, told against an eerie landscape of terrifying dislocation and isolation. This is one effed up horror movie.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Mar 12, 2013

B+

Film4 Staff

Film4

Oct 24, 2011

3/5

If Nine Inch Nails, Swans and Ministry ever loomed large in the landscape of your imagination, Anderson's gloomy aesthetic may exert a sour but lingering pull.

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Apr 8, 2019

A film that develops in an interesting plot. The interpretation of Christian Bale is excellent as always. It's a good and entertaining thriller movie.

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Anakin P

Mar 16, 2019

The Mechanist is a real gem in the thriller genre as it takes tons of risks in the editing, cinematography, and overall ideas that eventually pay off in it's satisfying and memorable conclusion.

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Jan 3, 2019

No me gustÃ³ tanto, me parece una pelÃcula que tiene buenas actuaciones en general, mÃ¡s sin embargo la trama es simple y a pesar de que puede ser confusa psicologÃa no ha sido de mi agrado.

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George S

Nov 8, 2018

What a great film. Even for those who are able to piece together exactly what is happening before the movie explicitly reveals everything, The Machinist is still capable of capturing the attention. The film is dark, but rewarding, and it never cheats the viewer. There are no sudden twists designed to blindside an audience. The reveals occur gradually, with Anderson allowing us the pleasure of putting the pieces together. The Machinist requires a certain kind of viewer - one who is comfortable with grimness and a certain amount of gore. Members of that group will appreciate what this picture has to offer. Christian Bale's transformation needs to be seen to be believed.

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Harry W

Nov 5, 2018

Simple, smart, with an emotional and powerful ending, it shows how guilt and regret can kill us and drive us crazy! This is one of my top 5 movies, Christian Bale is amazing and phenomenal in this film. The tone of the movie, the sound and music is also great!! I wish Hollywood would produce more films like this!

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Hermione W

Oct 6, 2018

From the director of The Call (2013), The Machinist is a gloomy and strange movie, but it's very well done. The cinematography is stylishly dark, which gives the whole flick a dream like feel and Christian Bale is amazing, it's insane how he lost so much weight just for the movie, which proves true love and ambition for his art. It's an interesting exercise in mental health and guilt, and its a weird, true piece of cinema and it should descend as a classic. Recommended !!

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Brad Anderson

Director

Christian Bale

Trevor Reznik

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Stevie

Aitana Sánchez-Gijón

Marie

John Sharian

Ivan

Michael Ironside

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Synopsis

Factory worker Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) suffers from insomnia so severe that his condition has taken its toll on his weight and his mental health. When Trevor unintentionally causes an on-the-job accident that horribly injures a coworker (Michael Ironside), he begins to become even more troubled. Despite a relationship with Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a pretty prostitute, Trevor descends further into paranoia, blaming his problems on an enigmatic figure named Ivan (John Sharian).

Director: Brad Anderson
Producer: Julio Fernández
Screenwriter: Scott Kosar
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Castelao Producciones S.A., Filmax, Fantastic Factory (Filmax)
Rating: R (Language|Disturbing Images|Sexuality|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 22, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.1M
Runtime: 1h 41m
Sound Mix: Surround

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