THE MACHINIST

Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) was once a simple worker specializing in manual machine tools (lathes, mills, machining centers) in a mechanical workshop in the American countryside. One day in his life, however, something happens, but his psyche completely removes the fact. From then on, Reznik is no longer the same person, begins to lose weight to the point of reaching 45 kg, and can no longer interact humanly with his coworkers. Worse still, he hasn't been able to sleep for a year, that is, since the time of the event erased from his mind, and the signs of this serious disorder are now physically and psychologically breaking him. The only two people with whom he can talk and open up are two very different women: Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a prostitute who is Trevor's regular client and who gradually becomes his confidante, and Marie (Aitana Sánchez-Gijòn), the waitress at the airport bar where Trevor goes every night at the same time to stare at a cup of coffee for hours. At a certain point, a mysterious individual appears, claiming to be a new worker at the company, characterized by having lost the fingers of his hand in an accident at the lathe and who seems to know Trevor very well. This person strikes up a kind of friendship with the insomniac, but none of the other workers seem to remember him and, moreover, he does not appear anywhere in the company's records. The presence of this character will soon cause deep unease in the worker, and soon many strange events will begin to happen. The machinist will therefore begin to suspect that he is at the center of a mysterious plot against him, but the key to understanding what is happening should not be sought outside, but rather in the man's past... ”The Machinist” (original title “The Man Who Couldn't Sleep”) is another film of the 2004 season to prove a big surprise for the viewer, along with the equally excellent “the Village” by Shyamalan. The film presents itself as a hallucinatory psychological thriller revolving around the protagonist, an incredible Christian Bale who undergoes such a physical transformation as to make him almost unrecognizable, to give an interpretation of those seen very rarely, especially with characters as psychologically suffering as Trevor Reznik. In reality, by resolving the knot of the story, one realizes that the film is not the usual clone of “Seven”, despite the atmospheres given by the photography and the style of the direction (absolutely impeccable) deeply recalling the style of the serial killer movies of the '90s. Some criticisms have been leveled at the minimalism of Scott Kosar's screenplay, apparently unfounded because the plot, once unraveled, is certainly simple, but on the other hand it runs like a Swiss watch and is literally strewn with small details and references that can only be understood at the end of the film or after several viewings of the film; moreover, some scenes, such as the one in which Trevor finds himself choosing between two tunnels, one leading towards the light and the other towards darkness, have another symbolic value. All this is certainly praiseworthy, especially in a period when many films are scripted in a rather simplistic manner. The atmosphere of the workshop, dirty, greasy, and dark perfectly reflects that of a real workplace, as well as the possible accidents that can happen in a work environment of that type (even the mutilations visible in the film are more than plausible, as anyone who has had the opportunity to work with machine tools can confirm) even if today with the advent of CNC (numerical control) the work environment has changed a lot, for the better. Probably the low-tech choice of a mechanical workshop from 30 years ago was dictated by the desire to recreate that type of atmosphere: dirty, noisy, and dangerous. In conclusion, “The Machinist”, although not being a horror or a thriller in the strict sense, is a great film that manages to convey anguish until the end, excellently acted, superbly photographed, perfectly scripted, and brilliantly directed. The word “masterpiece” is now overused, but without a shadow of a doubt we are faced with a great film, certainly recommended and to be seen preferably on the big screen.