“If you were any thinner, you wouldn’t exist.”
Christian Bale’s skeletal frame is almost unbearable to watch. For his role in The Machinist, he crash-dieted down to a shocking 120 lbs/55 kilos. This is one of many elements that give this outstanding mystery thriller its ominous, dreamlike tone.
Bale’s performance is pitch-perfect. The screenplay by Scott Kosar original and mysterious. The desaturated cinematography by Xavi Giménez grim and menacing. The strong supporting cast includes Jennifer Jason Leigh and Michael Ironside. These elements are married together perfectly by Brad Anderson’s direction.
The Machinist: one of the best films of the past decade.
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You can find more information on this U.S. movie on Wikipedia and IMDb.
As always, we recommend you don’t ruin any surprises by reading spoilers or watching this trailer:
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Title: The Machinist
Language: English
Direction: Brad Anderson
Screenplay: Scott Kosar
Cinematography: Xavi Giménez
Editing: Luis de la Madrid
Score: Roque Baños
Stars: Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, John Sharian, Michael Ironside, Anna Massey, James DePaul, Larry Gilliard, Jr., Reg E. Cathey
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Gimenez Banos Sanchez-Gijon
Absolutely love this film, watching Christian Bale in the state he is in here is always a bit disturbing, but always so effective.
I agree with all you say about this film. I kept looking at his body and thinking, oh God, can he really be that thin? I think it a masterful film. The atmosphere is stifling but it’s all so intriguing. I’ve seen it twice and I haven’t finished with it yet. Christian Bale is pretty interesting in American Psycho too, though it’s a far different kind of performance than in The Machinist.
LOVED it! Everything about it! Watched it 3 times this year… And the soundtrack is great!