The Machinist (2003)
Director: Brad Anderson
Cast: Christian Bale
WARNING: Spoiler alert
I felt after watching The Machinist that a review would not really serve any purpose because I cannot discuss a lot of things about the movie without letting out any spoilers. Even elaborating on the themes touched upon in the movie would very well mean letting out the suspense. So for all those people who have not seen The Machinist and have come here expecting a review, I can only say that this is a riveting psychological thriller that will keep you engrossed well after the credits have rolled down, and yes, please DON'T read any further!!
On the surface, The Machinist is simply the story of an insomniac, who, following some intriguing series of events begins to doubt fall apart, with everyone, including himself, starting to doubt his sanity. But as one goes on watching the movie, many doubts crop up. Firstly, why are the things that are happening to Trevor(Christian Bale), whether in real or in his mind, actually happening to him? Secondly, why does Trevor look so severely emaciated and unhealthy, and why has not he been able to sleep for a year? The answer to these questions, as we finally realize, lie in the past. For this is not just a story of madness and sanity, it is a much deeper tale of crime, guilt and redemption.
Trevor can easily be the subject of a case study in psychology, such is the depth and character provided to him by Bale. He is a man torn apart by the guilt of accidentally running over a child, and it is this guilt which has been pricking his conscience to such an extent that he has not even been able to sleep peacefully for over a year.
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED:
A year before the events in the story, Trevor, while trying to light his cigarette in a moving car, moved his eyes off the road, causing the tragic death of a young boy. He quickly drove from the scene of the accident and destroyed his car. Though he escaped punishment by law, he could not escape his own conscience. He lost his sleep and started to become increasingly weaker. From the time the events in the film are shown, Trevor has already become so weak and thin that he has begun to look severely emaciated.
WAS HE ALWAYS A MACHINIST?
Before the life-changing accident occurred, Trevor used to work in the same factory but as can be made out from his photograph with Reynolds and also from the conversation between the workers in the initial scenes, he was much more outgoing and sociable. Whereas, after the tragic incident, he had become quiet and withdrawn. His relationship with Reynolds had also clearly deteriorated, as they hardly ever indulge in any fruitful conversation during the film.
WHO IS IVAN?
Consciously, Trevor had forgotten the incident, but his conscience was still disturbed by what had transpired a year ago. Ivan was a manifestation of himself and his ugly past. He used drive the same car which Trevor had destroyed after the accident. The strange and repulsive physical appearance symbolized the sin he had committed. His presence seeks to remind Trevor of who he actually was - a killer. In the end, when Trevor turns himself in, we see Ivan smiling in acknowledgement, which goes to show that he had achieved his true purpose, and Trevor could finally sleep in peace, without his haunting presence.
MARIE & NIKOLAS :
Marie and Nikolas were also a figment of Trevor's imagination, whom he had created in order to lessen his sense of guilt. Nikolas, in fact, was the child who was killed in the accident and Marie, his mother. Developing an endearing bond with the both of them was his way of lightening the burden of guilt and also of proving to himself and his conscience that he is a much better person than what he has actually turned out to be.
Another point to be noted is the fact that the time shown by the clock during all of their meetings is 1:30, which also happened to be the time of the accident. Also, the amusement park was a place Trevor had previously visited with his mother. What this proves is that every meeting with Marie and her son was a dream with the detailing done by Trevor using his own memories.
Another reason for the aggravation of his tremendous guilt were the fond memories of his late mother, and the realization that he was responsible for breaking an equally cherished relationship between Marie and Nikolas.
ROUTE 66:
The ride in the amusement park was another trip down the troubled psyche of Trevor, the grotesque imagery representing the guilt-ridden and tormented state of his mind. In his dream, Nikolas was driving the car, but actually, it was his conscience that was driving this journey, and that is probably why it took a turn towards the Highway to Hell when there was the choice of going towards the Road to Salvation. Subconsciously, he found it impossible to forgive himself for what he had done.
THE REFRIGERATOR:
The refrigerator too has been given special emphasis in the movie. The notes in which the game of hangman plays are all stuck on the refrigerator. Although initially it is implied that the notes are being put there by some unknown person, it becomes clear at the end that the notes were stuck by Trevor himself, not consciously perhaps, but he was most definitely driven by his guilt to stick those notes which eventually label him as a 'KILLER'.
THE IDIOT:
At various points in the film, Trevor is shown reading Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Idiot. Coincidentally, Dostoyevsky is a writer famous for exploring human psychology through his works and not very surprisingly, the most novel by him is called Crime and Punishment. Besides the symbolism, the scenes could well be the director's way of paying homage to the writer.
DID TREVOR REALLY NOT SLEEP FOR A YEAR?
Sleep deprivation for over a year is next to impossible physically, which leads me to conjecture that Trevor actually did sleep, only that he never came to realize it. This was probably because thinking his dreams to be true. If the film is watched closely, it can be observed that Ivan appears whenever Trevor attempts to catch some sleep. In reality, it could be that Trevor has actually fallen asleep and Ivan is a part of his dream. Moments before Miller loses his arm, he tells Trevor off for sleeping, though it appears to us that he is watching Ivan work. Moreover, when Trevor halts his truck bang in the middle of the road, the scene quickly cuts to the airport where he is chatting with Marie. The scene at the amusement park is also preceded by a shot of Trevor looking intently at a cup of coffee. It is quite possible that at all these times, Trevor inadvertently dozes off and starts dreaming. However, he is too distressed and disoriented to distinguish between dream and reality.
Through this analysis, I have attempted to touch upon all those aspects about the plot and the theme of The Machinist that came to my mind. This is a very well-made film, though not as complicated as it appears at first. But the director does well in the sense that after the final plot twist, every minute and apparently trivial events which occur before in the movie attain considerable significance and can be easily related to the larger picture.For example,the hit-and-run accident in which involves Trevor victimising himself intentionally seems crazy at first, but when we come to know of his back story, the incident attains tones of dramatic irony, more so if we consider the fact that the vehicle was being driven by a woman with her child by her side (poetic justice, anyone!!).
Christian Bale is truly emerging as the perfectionist among the current generation of actors. The extent to which he achieves the required physical appearance of his character is remarkable, and equally astounding is his performance that easily ranks among his best.
The Machinist is a taut, relentless story of crime and salvation which induces a sense of fear and foreboding in the viewer not by means of unnecessary gore and cheap thrills but through a dark and cheerless setting backed up by some intelligent camerawork. From this perspective, The Machinist is very much Hitchcock-ian in terms of treatment and thematic content. Though it certainly does not make for an easy movie-watching experience, The Machinist is one of the most captivating psychological thrillers in recent times.
