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The Machinist (2004)

R  |   |  Drama, Thriller  |  3 December 2004 (USA)
7.7
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Ratings: 7.7/10 from 260,496 users   Metascore: 61/100
Reviews: 445 user | 202 critic | 32 from Metacritic.com

An industrial worker who hasn't slept in a year begins to doubt his own sanity.

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Title: The Machinist (2004)

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Jackson (as Larry Gilliard)
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Jones
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Mrs. Shrike
Matthew Romero Moore ...
Nicholas (as Matthew Romero)
Robert Long ...
Supervisor Furman
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Inspector Rogers
...
Tucker
Ferran Lahoz ...
Gonzales
Jeremy Xido ...
Evangelisti
Norman Bell ...
DMV Clerk
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Storyline

Trevor Reznik is a machinist in a factory. An extreme case of insomnia has led to him not sleeping in a year, and his body withering away to almost nothing. He has an obsessive compulsion to write himself reminder notes and keep track of his dwindling weight, both scribbled on yellow stickies in his apartment. The only person he lets into his life in an emotional sense is Stevie, a prostitute, although he has an infatuation with Maria, a single mother waitress working in an airport diner. His co-workers don't associate with and mistrust him because of not knowing what is going on in his life that has led to his emaciated physical appearance. A workplace incident further alienates him with his coworkers, and in conjunction with some unfamiliar pieces of paper he finds in his apartment, Trevor believes that someone or some people - probably one or some of his coworkers - are out to get him, using a phantom employee named Ivan as their front. As Trevor goes on a search for evidence as to... Written by Huggo

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

A little guilt goes a long way... See more »

Genres:

Drama | Thriller

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and disturbing images, sexuality and language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

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Language:

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Release Date:

3 December 2004 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

El maquinista  »

Filming Locations:


Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$64,661 (USA) (22 October 2004)

Gross:

$1,082,044 (USA) (25 March 2005)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (TV)

Sound Mix:

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Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

There were very few CGI effects in the film. The first café scene had a CGI inserted plane taking off in the background. See more »

Goofs

When Resnik pulls up in his truck outside Miller's house he parks a couple of feet from the curb, when he returns the truck is tight against the curb. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Ivan: Who are you?
See more »

Connections

References Psycho (1960) See more »

Soundtracks

Lunar Rhapsody
(1948)
Written by Buddy Feyne (as Budy Feine) & Harry Revel
Worldwide Pulbisher Michael H. Goldsen Inc., sub-publisher for Spain and Portugal Alondra Music,
S.L.
Performed by Les Baxter
(p) 1948 Capitol Records
Licensed by EMI Music Spain, Madrid, Spain 2004
Special products department - exclusive assignee
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

A Dark and Spooky Psychological Thriller
22 November 2004 | by (Queens, NY) – See all my reviews

"The Machinist" demonstrates that "Session 9" wasn't the only creepy thriller that Brad Anderson could do.

While M. Night Shyamalan and commercial fare like "The Grudge" get the attention and the big bucks, Anderson is quietly mastering disturbing, psychologically scary shockers. While the previous movie took advantage of our imaginations leaping around a spooky environment, "The Machinist" makes our discomfort palpably visual in Christian Bale's painful to look at body, as his character is ravaged by insomnia and loss of appetite; by the end of the movie it's shocking to see his normally handsome face.

But all the focus on his astounding weight loss takes away from the other elements in the almost black and white film that make it a scare fest. The movie establishes "The Twilight Zone" mood immediately with the soundtrack, which includes generous use of the theremin, as Hitchcock did in "Psycho." The production design is excellent at supporting the mood.

The suspense builds and is sustained through to the satisfying conclusion as you genuinely get involved in Bale's efforts to solve the increasingly mysterious happenings around him. Even though you are pretty sure he could be hallucinating, you are intrigued to figure out the trigger.

Despite looking like a caricature of a Holocaust victim, Bale creates a full character, from the jocular male camaraderie of the factory where he doesn't quite seem to fit in to responding one beat off to the warmth of the two women in his life, a waitress and a prostitute with the an open heart of gold (played, as usual by Jennifer Jason Leigh, but effectively languid).


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