Moody psychological thriller, reminiscent of Pi and Memento

Rating: Null/10 (22 June 2005)

Brad Anderson directed two very different films I thoroughly enjoyed: Next Stop Wonderland, a funny, charming showcase for under-used actress Hope Davis; and Session 9, a creepy Blair Witch-style psyche-out that had me tense, and guessing, until the end.
The Machinist is in the latter vein. It is an ambitious work that risked alienating its audience with a combination of art cinematography and symbolism. However, the sheer intensity of Christian Bale's performance and peril, paired with a delicate touch with the psychological symbolism, make this a satisfying example of art cinema.
Half the fun of this movie is figuring out what's going on, so I won't reveal the concrete plot, other than to say Bale's year-long insomnia provides a perfect backdrop for a journey through the chambers of the main character's mind. You can never be sure when what you're seeing is actually happening, or a hallucinating, r.e.m. sleep-deprived brain.
Besides an outstanding turn by Christian Bale (who dropped a record 63 pounds for his role), the film features Jennifer Jason Leigh playing arguably her most common role, a prostitute. However, the film avoids rehashing Hollywood Hooker clichés, and her character is quite compelling, as a result. My favorite appearance in the film? Michael Ironside plays a gruff co-worker of Bale's. I'm a huge Ironside fan (mainly because he's been slugging it out for decades in an almost mythological field - a Canadian Film Industry Career) and I hadn't seen him do a movie this high-profile in years.
The Machinist will almost undoubtedly slip under the radar of most movie-goers. It hasn't been promoted too much, and it is decidedly intellectual fare, but the rewards are worth it.