The Machinist

November 2021. I’m late to the party for this movie. The first twelve minutes were intoxicating and within twenty, the table setting for the world was complete. At first, I was unsure how I felt about the framing device, but the filmmakers delivered a satisfying payoff. The Hitchcockian atmosphere that loomed large over this faux-California might be my noteworthy takeaway. Vibes of Jamaica Inn (1939) truly.

The subplot with the mom seemed to be lost, but happily (in a sadistic sense), the movie course corrected with about ten minutes to go. And who was the actor playing the mysterious Southern Menace torturing Christian Bale’s Trevor Reznik? A delightful character who left his fingerprints all over this story from his initial “howdy” to his final tip-of-the-hat. Unfortunately, the title lacks. It was probably a nod to Dostoevsky, but I do think the movie deserved better.