Brad Anderson directed two very different films I thoroughly enjoyed: Next Stop Wonderland, a funny, charming showcase for under-used actress Hope Davis; and Session 9, a creepy Blair Witch-style psyche-out that had me tense, and guessing, until the end.
The Machinist is in the latter vein. It is an ambitious work that risked alienating its audience with a combination of art cinematography and symbolism. However, the sheer intensity of Christian Bale's performance and peril, paired with a delicate touch with the psychological symbolism, make this a satisfying example of art cinema.
Half the fun of this movie is figuring out what's going on, so I won't reveal the concrete plot, other than to say Bale's year-long insomnia provides a perfect backdrop for a journey through the chambers of the main character's mind. You can never be sure when what you're seeing is actually happening, or a hallucinating, r.e.m. sleep-deprived brain.
Besides an outstanding turn by Christian Bale (who dropped a record 63 pounds for his role), the film features Jennifer Jason Leigh playing arguably her most common role, a prostitute. However, the film avoids rehashing Hollywood Hooker clichés, and her character is quite compelling, as a result. My favorite appearance in the film? Michael Ironside plays a gruff co-worker of Bale's. I'm a huge Ironside fan (mainly because he's been slugging it out for decades in an almost mythological field - a Canadian Film Industry Career) and I hadn't seen him do a movie this high-profile in years.
The Machinist will almost undoubtedly slip under the radar of most movie-goers. It hasn't been promoted too much, and it is decidedly intellectual fare, but the rewards are worth it.
The Machinist is in the latter vein. It is an ambitious work that risked alienating its audience with a combination of art cinematography and symbolism. However, the sheer intensity of Christian Bale's performance and peril, paired with a delicate touch with the psychological symbolism, make this a satisfying example of art cinema.
Half the fun of this movie is figuring out what's going on, so I won't reveal the concrete plot, other than to say Bale's year-long insomnia provides a perfect backdrop for a journey through the chambers of the main character's mind. You can never be sure when what you're seeing is actually happening, or a hallucinating, r.e.m. sleep-deprived brain.
Besides an outstanding turn by Christian Bale (who dropped a record 63 pounds for his role), the film features Jennifer Jason Leigh playing arguably her most common role, a prostitute. However, the film avoids rehashing Hollywood Hooker clichés, and her character is quite compelling, as a result. My favorite appearance in the film? Michael Ironside plays a gruff co-worker of Bale's. I'm a huge Ironside fan (mainly because he's been slugging it out for decades in an almost mythological field - a Canadian Film Industry Career) and I hadn't seen him do a movie this high-profile in years.
The Machinist will almost undoubtedly slip under the radar of most movie-goers. It hasn't been promoted too much, and it is decidedly intellectual fare, but the rewards are worth it.