The Machinist

The Machinist

"If you were any thinner, you wouldn't exist." This is what Trevor Reznik hears from every person he comes into contact with. Being the very cold and sad movie that it is, it revolves around a lonely man who is losing his mind and questions reality mainly because nothing feels real. The constant guessing never ceases in this psychological thriller as each day that goes by gets worse and worse. No luck with anybody, this man feels that he is missing something without a handle on anything that comes his way. This was a great movie, and very interesting I'd say. It was the complete opposite to my usual fast-paced, action orientated kind of movie, but the "Machinist" is worth the watch if you give it a chance.

Written by the well known screen-writer Scott Kosar, the script for The Machinist was written while he was attending the graduate screenwriting program at the UCLA School of Theater. The movie is also directed by Brad Anderson and produced by Julio Fernandez. Trevor Reznik, the man with all the problems is played by the English actor Christian Baile. Baile also gained attention from this movie because of the devotion to his role. Baile actually went on a crash diet of mostly just apples and coffee which reduced his weight by sixty-three pounds. He also made sure to stay up for many days without any sleep so that he could properly perform his character, a chronic insomniac. Reznik, a man who most dislike, can only find true comfort with a woman who goes by the name of Stevie. Stevie, played by the actress Jennifer Jason Leigh, is a prostitute that shows genuine affection for the gloomy and disturbed machinist Reznik. But, Stevie isn't the only gal showing interest. There is also Maria, (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón) a French waitress, who Reznik always flirts with at the airport diner where most of his nights are spent. The final key character is Miller, (Michael Ironside) a co-worker at the factory, who gets his arm sliced off because of Reznik's negligence.

The movie starts out with Reznik rolling up a body in carpet of his home living room floor, and then throwing it out into the lake. The movie leaves you hanging with questions of who the victim is. Next up, you see him cleaning his hands with bleach and there is uncertainty why he does this so many times in the movie. Whether it is OCD or not it is unknown throughout the whole movie. Moments later you see him in a room. It is not his own but rather the room of a prostitute who he sees from time to time. With this woman he shares a lot of himself, and so they become good friends. He regularly sleeps with her for money.