This will leave you speechless

Rating: 9/10 (30 June 2005)

Thrillers as of late have been rushed and not well made. Gothika, for instance, could have been great, but instead, it was a good idea that wasn't care for. Identity was great, but even that could have had more work done for it. What you need is a great story with a great screenplay=lay, a devoted cast, and a director with vision. This movie has it all.
The Machinist (or El Maquinista) is a thriller about a man named Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale), a factory worker who seems to be physically wasting away. His weight is getting lower and lower with each waking hour, and that is a lot since he hasn't had any sleep in over a year. His friend, a prostitute named Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh), worries that he truly is wasting away and wants him to get better. Soon he meets a man named Ivan in the parking lot at work. Trevor didn't know they got a new guy, but he thought nothing of it. When Ivan distracts him from his work, an accident involving another worker occurs due to Trevor's focus on what Ivan was doing. Now begins the chase of whether or not what Trevor is seeing is real and how the past catches up with you awfully fast.
Bale gives a performance that will resonate in my mind, that's for sure. Losing that much weight to play this role must have been grueling. His character is one that you like, pity, and don't understand. His sleeping habits, work ethic, and mental state are all at question. His "lady of the night" friend Stevie is another character that is likable but one you pity and don't understand. Whether or not what Trevor is seeing is real makes this movie that much more entertaining and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The relationship between him and the waitress at the airport diner is one that is interesting. Why would he keep driving all the way out to the airport for a piece of pie and a cup of coffee when he could get one near his apartment. Either way, the story unfolds beautifully and is truly amazing. The whole story just blew my mind.
It's hard to say much without giving away the ending but all you need to know in order to see this movie is that it will grab you until the very end. It's not a movie you can watch for a while and come back to. Sit tight because you are in for a great ride.