Lighter Guilt

Rating: 8/10 (21 February 2014)

During the opening minutes, emaciated factory worker Christian Bale (as Trevor Reznik) apparently disposes of a lifeless body. In his apartment, Mr. Bale washes up with bleach. We assume Bale had something to do with a foul deed, but there is no forthcoming investigation. Later, this opening act is revealed to be a flashback. Bale enjoys eating chicken and pie, but seems to also be on a weight-loss binge. He claims to have been awake for a year – perhaps this has caused his weight loss. At work, Bale becomes involved in a gruesome machine accident. He appears to have been distracted by newly hired machinist John Sharian (as Ivan), but none of Bale's co-workers have seen the heavyset man. For someone apparently near death from lack of sleep and food, Bale appears remarkably functional. He dates golden-hearted prostitute Jennifer Jason Leigh (as Stevie) and attractive airport waitress Aitana Sanchez-Gijon (as Marie)...
With fine work from writer Scott Kosar and director Brad Anderson, "The Machinist" is intellectually engaging. A mostly Spanish crew assists Bale and Mr. Anderson skillfully. It's possible you may figure out much of what is going on; still, it is interesting to find the many patterns in story-telling, both real and imagined. There is a clear thesis and ending for those who appreciate clarity, but food for thought if you want to consider other possibilities. The obviously influential writer Dostoyevsky would approve. Unfortunately, the first and most obvious talking point is likely to be Bale's shockingly low weight – he overplays the physicality of the role needlessly; his acting ability is certainly worth 10-20 pounds. Other notable strengths include stellar photography by Xavi Gimenez, moody music by Roque Banos, and the always foreboding Michael Ironside (as Miller). Remarkably, Mr. Ironside has not been told to stay away from sharp objects.
******** The Machinist (1/18/04) Brad Anderson ~ Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, John Sharian, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon