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	Movie Review - The Machinist (2004)     (What this rating means)       Director: Brad Anderson Starring: Christian Bale and Jennifer Jason Leigh Rated: R (for violence and disturbing images, sexuality and language) Length: 102 minutes Genre: Thriller/Drama Tagline: A little goes a long way... Studio: Paramount Classics Website: The Machinist PLOT Trevor Reznik is a lathe-operator who hasn't slept or eaten properly in about a year. He's dwindled down to about 119 pounds, and his existence is a less than pleasurable experience. Things really start to spiral out of control after his sleep-deprived state is responsible for a terrible accident at work. Who or what is it that begins to haunt him? Christian Bale's skeleton ensues. JOHNNY'S TAKE The Machinist is a grim reminder of why I don't need to let my expectations run too high. The movie was originally shown in the U.S. through various film festivals. Word of mouth was fantastic, and my hopes were high. The movie finally got a limited release in October, but it didn't make its way to my area (and only at one theater) until the beginning of December. Finally, I would get to see what all the hype was about. Before I go any further, let me explain that there were three main reasons my expectations were so high: 1) The plot sounded cool, 2) I read many reviews comparing it to Memento (which I really like), and 3) I really enjoyed Brad Anderson's (the director) previous film, Session 9. Plus, there was the curiosity factor surrounding Christian Bale's dramatic weight loss. Well, at least the hype surrounding Bale's weight loss was accurate. Unfortunately, the comparisons to Memento were not. The mystery is initially laid out pretty well. Trevor Reznik (who is not a band member of Nine Inch Nails) doesn't eat or sleep properly, and it shows in his disgustingly skinny body. Ladies, you get to see Bale with his shirt off, but I doubt you'll like what you see. If you're expecting what you got from him in Reign of Fire then you'll be sorely disappointed. Rather than moaning with pleasure, you'll likely groan with disgust at the sight of his bones sticking out of his skin. For a second there I thought an alien was emerging from his back, but it was only his backbone. But even though he makes the Olsen twins look like a couple of Rosie O'Donnells, I've gotta give him credit for his dedication to his craft. Anyway, Reznik's insomnia plays a large part in preventing him from thinking clearly. It plays an even larger part in causing a tragic accident at the machine shop where he works. It's at this point where his paranoia begins to kick in and things start to get a little crazy. He has a habit of leaving Post-It notes to himself as reminders of things he needs to do. One day, he gets home and finds a strange note on his refrigerator door. The note contains the ol' hangman game with spaces under the stick figure that is being hanged. As the movie progresses, the letters start to get filled in. What is the message? Is this some sort of conspiracy where Reznik's coworkers are messing with him? Is somebody after him? Or is it all in his mind? Great setup. Sadly, we receive a weak payoff. About halfway through the movie (probably a little earlier than that) I pretty much figured out what was gonna happen. I didn't guess the specific details, but I nailed the basics. The movie even provides some clues that are dead giveaways. All I could think was, "Please don't let this be the case. Please do something better!" Didn't happen. Oh well. The movie is a little slow-paced at times, but I enjoyed following the mystery and I kept hope alive that the twist at the end would be something really original. It isn't, however, and that made for an unsatisfying experience. The acting is solid, the atmosphere is dark, and the potential is there, so that's why I left so frustrated. With a thriller/mystery like this, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ENDING! I was hoping for Memento, but I got something more along the lines of Secret Window. Nothing terrible, but nothing really to go back to. ODDS & ENDS Christian Bale lost 63 pounds for the role, and it shows. His weight loss is said to be a record for any role. Rumors have it that Kirstie Alley is calling him daily for advice. Bale supposedly wanted to lose another 20 pounds, but the producers wouldn't let him. I have no idea where he'd find any more fat to burn. He'd have to start removing limbs! Brad Anderson's Session 9 is a creepier and more enjoyable movie. Like The Machinist, it's not a cheery movie, but you can't beat the setting - an abandoned asylum. Christian Bale was in American Psycho with Josh Lucas who was in Coastlines with Josh Brolin who was in Hollow Man with Kevin Bacon. MAMA'S APPROVAL Quite a bit of profanity, a little Jennifer Jason Leigh nudity (she's a prostitute), a graphic scene with dude's arm getting cut off, and an overall dark subject matter makes this less than ideal for mama, pre-teens, and the easily offended. TRAILER COMPARISON The trailer is very effective and completely captured my interest. Unfortunately, the mystery doesn't live up to the expectation. Oh, and the trailer gives away a little too much information, so you may want to keep that in mind. THE GIST If you're in the mood for a dark, somber wrist-slitter of a mystery, then The Machinist will provide some entertainment. But don't expect to be blown away by the twist at the end unless you're the type of person who is absolutely shocked by the revelations of movies such as Twisted and Secret Window.	RETURN TO HOME PAGE Ghouls Eagle Eye Righteous Kill Tropic Thunder Traitor Death Race Star Wars: Clone Wars The Dark Knight Journey to the Center of the Earth Hancock Weekend Results: 1. Beverly Hills Chihuahua($29,300,465) 2. Eagle Eye($17,709,817) 3. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist($11,311,751) 4. Nights in Rodanthe($7,368,259) 5. Appaloosa($5,050,310)

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