The Machinist
#20 in my 2007 movie challenge was Brad Anderson’s The Machinist, starring a skeletal Christian Bale. Since I’ve seen both Memento and Fight Club, the reveals at the end weren’t particularly surprising. I was disappointed to see Jennifer Jason Leigh in the thankless role of a hooker with a heart of gold who will leave her job for Bale. What’s compelling, though, is the look of the film. It’s heavily stylized with dark, Hitchcockian flair. Most arresting, though, is Bale’s gaunt physique, and the haunted look this brings to his character. I enjoyed two of Anderson’s previous films, Next Stop Wonderland and Happy Accidents. Both those were quirky romantic dramedies, decidedly different from the dark horror of this film.