Review of The Machinist (2004) by Kieran F — 17 Mar 2012

This film..wow. This is what a Suspense/Psychological thriller should be. I was..nervous the whole time,in a good way, Each time the film went on I got a little closer to the edge of my seat. It really was like an..evolved version of Hitchcock's "Rear Window" or More closely "Psycho" Watching this film I couldn't help but see the connections to some extent.

The Story is about a man named Trevor who is suffering from chronic insomnia and due to the insomnia has lost weight to an almost disturbing level,It's reported that Christian Bale only weighed 98 POUNDS!!! during Filming!!!, And works as a machinist. Through out the film Trevor is haunted by reoccurring flash backs that slowly cause him to slip into paranoia and eventually believes that ALL the events that are happening are an concerted effort to drive him insane. BUT What Trevor doesn't realize,till latter in the film, Is that all the events that he has flash backs of are events that REALLY happened and where all suppressed by Trevor due to the guilt he had of accidentally killing a man in a hit & Run(Similar to Psycho and how Marion Crane Steals Money from her job and feels guilty about it and decides to run away). During this time Trevor is also haunted by a man who he THINKS is a co-worker named Ivan(Another SLIGHT Psycho reference in the idea of Norman Bates and his Mother). I won't give away the twist but when it happens it's..very..twisted.

Through out the film I was on the edge of my seat. I didn't know what was going to happen next and was constantly finding my self stopping and taking a minute to re establish my self. And I thought that was great. The Film Isn't SCARY. But it's def. an amazing Psychological Thriller and does,like any good thriller, a good job a really making you stop and go "Oh My God..Did..that just happen?" As I said before to this film REALLY reminded me of Psycho and Rear Window. Psycho in the sense of how the main character was trying to hid the fact that they had done something bad and wanted no one else to know about it. And Rear Window in the sense of how not only had they done something bad but there was nothing the main character could do to stop it.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers and are a fan of Christian Bale you'll like the film..if you're not a fan of either I still advise people to at least take a look at this film because underneath you have a very well made,and enjoyable, Thriller that is also some what of a mystery.