THE MACHINIST

Year: 2004
USA: Paramount Classics
UK: Tartan Films
Cast: Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Aitana Sanchez-Gijón, John Sharian, Michael Ironside, Larry Gilliard Jr, Reg E Cathey, Anna Massey, James DePaul, Matthew Romero Moore, Craig Stevenson, Reg Wilson
Director: Brad Anderson
Country: Spain
UK: 102 mins
USA Rated: R for violence and disturbing images, sexuality and language
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language, gory images and sex references
USA Release Date: 22 October 2004 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 18 March 2005


Synopsis

Trevor Reznik has not slept for a year.

His every waking minute has become an unremitting nightmare of confusion, paranoia, guilt, anxiety and terror - each of which is part of an escalating series of clues that will lead to the source of his mysterious affliction in Brad Anderson's inventive psychological thriller THE MACHINIST.

The story of THE MACHINIST turns the very nature of fright inside out, and exposes its inner workings, drop by drop, bit by bit, until a startling mystery is solved. Joining a tradition of psychologically probing thrillers such as VERTIGO, REPULSION, PEEPING TOM and MEMENTO, this dreamlike story of a man's waking nightmare is not so much about external events - though it has its physical thrills - but the far more shocking and unsettling horrors that can boil over inside a man's own fragile mind.

Directed by Brad Anderson (NEXT STOP WONDERLAND, HAPPY ACCIDENTS and the cult hit SESSION 9) THE MACHINIST drops the film audience directly into the reality (or is it?) of a man who appears to be losing his mind. At the center of this uncanny world is Trevor Reznik, portrayed by a physically transformed Christian Bale, who has been suffering from an insidious form of ceaseless insomnia for a year. His nerves frayed, his body so gaunt he is accused by those around him of starting to disappear, it is all Trevor can do to make it to his job each day, toiling away in a grim, grey, dangerous machine shop where saw blades chatter rhythmically, men wear iron masks and electrical sparks are always flying through the air.