Topic: The Machinist

[Quemaqua]

So I looked for a thread on this, but I guess we didn't have one after all.

Anyway... what a fucking crazy bastard of a movie.  I am completely blown away.  It wasn't necessarily the best film I ever saw, but on the whole I was truly impressed and inspired.  The writing and directing were both excellent, but the movie really did what it did because of the acting, I think.  I couldn't get past the reality of what went into actually making the characters.  Bale was just... nuts.  I don't think I've ever seen anyone go to such lengths to truly become someone else, and I doubt I ever will.  To put himself through so much physical damage just to become Trevor Reznik was astounding and awe-inspiring, and that's got to rank as a high point in the history of film.  If I didn't absolutely love the guy as an actor before (and I did), then I'm left speechless now.  Did he win any awards for that?  If he didn't, he fucking should have.  Jennifer Jason Leigh was pretty amazing too, despite a fairly simple role, and everyone came together well to pull off the surreal nature of the film.

I can't believe it took me so long to finally see this, but now that I've finally managed it, all I can say is that it was worth the wait.  Even 30 years from now it probably would have been.  Incredible.

[TheOtherBelmont]

I've been meaning to borrow this from a friend but I keep forgetting.

[iPPi]

It's a great movie.  I think we have a thread on this on Mind's Eye, but not on here, since the movie is now several years old.

[Jedi]

The scene where he's wearing her jeans in the bath room was hard to watch. You can see for the first time just how skinny he was, and then he turns side on! He just disappears he was so thin!

But yeah this was a good film, but I don't think I could watch it again he was just so thin it's unreal!

Also Bale went directly from that role to Batman Begins, extreme opposites there!

[scottws]

I don't understand the character's obsession with losing weight in the movie.  But yeah, it was a really great movie.

[MysterD]

I don't understand the character's obsession with losing weight in the movie.  But yeah, it was a really great movie.

(click to show/hide)

Possibly, it could be a symbol for him trying to lose the "weight" of the "huge" guilt that he's been holding within him, for so damn long.

Speaking of Bale and weight concerns, he looks anorexic in another movie (now at theatres) that I want to see -- Rescue Dawn.

scottws edit:  Added spoiler tags.

[Antares]

A friend loaned me this movie a while back.  I was pretty impressed.  I enjoyed the surreal feel of the movie, and like everyone else was completely blown away by how skinny Christian Bale managed to make himself for the role.  Overall I didn't think the movie blew me away as much as maybe it was trying to, but I enjoyed it immensely anyway.  It is always refreshing to see something different.