The Machinist (2004) ***

Rating: 7/10 (13 November 2005)

Trevor Reznick (Christian Bale) works in a dingy machine shop and is ostracized by his co-workers after inadvertently causing a near-fatal accident to one of his fellow employees. Trevor is inflicted with chronic insomnia and hasn't been able to sleep for a whole year, and his mind and body are breaking down as a result of it. He's been steadily losing so much weight that he's dropped to under 120 lbs and appears sickly and undernourished, and everyone around him suspects he's been using drugs. Lately his perception has become so affected by sleep deprivation that he's having a difficult time in telling reality apart from imagination. He starts to develop hallucinations and a paranoid delusion where he begins to believe there may be a plot against him. The only person he can confide in is his steady prostitute (Jennifer Jason Leigh), with whom he has formed a closeness above and beyond their business relationship, and who may or may not be a part of the plan to destroy him. Gradually, Trevor manages to but the pieces of the puzzle together in an unpredictable payoff that makes the whole film worthwhile.
Christian Bale is excellent in the part of Trevor, and he really keeps us interested in him. The actor starved himself for the role, losing so much weight that he is an unsightly figure, as his bones protrude through his gaunt body. This is a film that is very involving, but also convoluted at times before its climactic revelation finally puts things into perspective for us. I didn't realize it until after the film was over, but incredibly this film was made in Spain after the filmmakers couldn't get funding in the U.S.! They certainly fooled me. *** out of ****