The Machinist

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1:45

The Machinist

R

2004

1h 41m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

141 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).

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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

10/24/2011

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

04/01/2006

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

02/09/2006

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

08/04/2024

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

03/12/2013

B+

Film4 Staff

Film4

10/24/2011

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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Man S

@Bigduck Apr 4

A decent film Christian bale looks dreadful and In need of a good feed..The end of the film is a let down and I expected better because of how good it was at the beginning,but overall pretty good.

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Calvin T

@Calvin504 Feb 5

I like the way the story was told but the conclusion sucked

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Breathe J

@SilverScreenSweetheart Jan 27

Dark, haunting, and intensely psychological. Like Taxi Driver, on steroids. Christian Bale is a breathtakingly brilliant method actor. His complete transformation in this film is astonishing. Where the hell is his Oscar?

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Chris T

@ctrellc Jan 4

Kept waiting for a payoff that never came

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VITALII H

@freakynickison Dec 22

Honestly I expected to be left without any context or explanation before the ending, kinda like "American psycho" (2000), which btw is like this movie’s sibling. But I’m glad that we got a solid glimpse at what happened and how we got to this point. Christian Bale’s dedication to this role, to his commitment in general, needs to be studied and more appreciated. Overall it’s a solid movie. Unfortunately till we got to the climax we kinda check out throughout it’s running because the n my case I did not expect a great ending and some scenes felt dull.

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Leaburn O

@RT35452347 Dec 9

A reasonable psychological thriller. Sleepless in Denial. It unravels well, with some shutter island and beautiful mind kinda moments. Not a classic but intriguing and short enough to keep your attention. How Bale got in such bad shape for the film is beyond me. Watched on DVD.

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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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The Machinist: Trailer 1

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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