THE MACHINIST: Revisiting Christian Bale's SADDEST Performance

[@RyanHollinger]

*COMMENT your requests and thoughts below to help feed the algorithm gods!!* The first 1,000 people to use this link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/ryanhollinger03211

[@Hiro_515]

I love you Ryan, you big daddy!

[@Hiro_515]

Cover yourself Ryan (Daddy)

[@Hiro_515]

You deserve a autobiography DADDY!

[@DDfan91]

The void, ginger snaps trilogy, hellraiser, over the garden wall and the fear street movies

[@axelcordova8262]

It's the start of the Autumn season, so maybe now would be a good time to do a review of Night in the Woods. Oh, and also maybe Pink Floyd's The Wall.

[@AcolytesOfHorror]

one of those movies where, although I'd forgotten almost everything about the plot, I never forgot the suffocating, grimy way it made me feel

[@bunathan2485]

Hey its you

[@nathanjones8667]

First you comment on Broey Deschanel’s Point Break Video and now here! No wonder I dig your content!

[@karamei]

literally same

[@DaimyoD0]

Agreed. Unlike most of Ryan's videos, I had actually seen this one before watching, but it has been over a decade and I essentially forgot the whole plot. But I never forgot that the tone was so oppressive.

[@nihilistteddy3]

Same

[@Mr_Case_Time]

I’m not sure if I missed it, but did you mention that his character supposedly hasn’t slept in a year? And him finally being able to sleep in the jail cell was his conscience giving him permission to rest.

[@esotericheretic3740]

nope, only mentioned that at the end he finally got to rest. had insomnia the whole time since the accident (guilt)

[@Mr_Case_Time]

@@esotericheretic3740 yeah, and I remember feeling sorry for the guy when he would start to drift off, only to be woken up by something.

[@detectif1061]

just watch the movie.

[@ee1yd]

@@detectif1061 "just watch the movie" lol

[@dildojizzbaggins6969]

*he, not "him" Grammar, yo :P

[@davekennedy6315]

Trevors guilt also leads to his insomnia. Insomnia leaves you in a half/asleep half awake state, often leading to hallucinations. If you watch the film, every single time Trevor starts to fall asleep something or someone will startle him awake again. The only time he ever gets to sleep is at the end in the police cell. After he has admitted his guilt.

[@davekennedy6315]

@@MrHarrystank absolutely @#$%ing PERFECT explanation right there, nice one! Unfortunately I used to do a LOT of speed in my late teens/early twenties and lived a fair chunk of my life in that sleep deprived state. I used to take speed most days for several years back then. It's a lonely, paranoid, bizarre world, trying to sleep but often being jolted awake by sounds or even thoughts. Things moving in the corner of your eyes, hearing people talk bad about you. I think I was right at the precipice of psychosis and was lucky to keep my sanity. Even simple, everyday tasks like tying my tie (I had to wear a tie at work) and simple jobs at work suddenly become alien to you. I've always been a big reader my whole life and attempting that would see all the words on the page jumble before my eyes. I know that this was due to way too many amphetamines but so much of my experience is shown in The Machinist. Maybe that's a big part of why I 'got' the film, as it rang true with my earlier experiences/living nightmare. The things you describe so vividly also remind me of those dark days. If you don't mind me asking, do you suffer from insomnia?

[@panzerveps]

@@davekennedy6315 A friend of mine did the same. In the end, he struggled to get any sleep, so he got his father (a doctor) to prescribe sleeping pills for him. That, combined with too much alcohol gave him a heart attack at the age of 28. RIP.

[@davekennedy6315]

@@panzerveps i'm really sorry to hear that. I've also lost a lot of friends over the years to that lifestyle. Its surprising that I'm still alive with all the craziness that I got up to back then. It's all too easy to fall into the trap of taking one thing to stay awake and another to be able to sleep. Plus the lack of sleep also leads to you making decisions that you wouldn't dream of making with a normal mind. Maybe that's why The Machinist really appeals to me, as I still have strong memories of that frame of mind.

[@panzerveps]

@@davekennedy6315 It's been a while since I watched it, so I can't remember much about it. But I remember it as a great, gut punching movie. I've never tried anything stronger than weed. Mostly because I know I could never stop.

[@davekennedy6315]

@@MrHarrystank what an interesting read. I wondered where your familiarity with sleep deprivation came from, I guessed it was either insomnia or the stupid self inflicted way I experienced it. It's great to hear that you got control of it as I know just how damaging it can be. Luckily for me it was only for a few years, it must be horrendous for it to be long term. I still remember what it was like and the last chemically induced time was approaching 20 years ago. I also experienced insomnia after my marriage broke down and my wife stopped me from seeing my 3 young children a couple of years ago. To be honest I had a breakdown, living on adrenaline, not eating, not sleeping. It destroyed me as my family was all I had. Even at my lowest I struggled through without drugs or drink as I knew that would be the end of me. The end of any chance of seeing my children again. The lack of sleep was the worst. As you mention, every single problem played out in my head as I tried my hardest to sleep. To recharge my fried brain and nerves. Sometimes I'd drop off for mere seconds or minutes only to be jolted back awake by horrendous thoughts, dreams. It's sorted out now with my son living with me and regular contact with my daughters. I started working out to drag me through it, like you mention, putting my addiction into something healthy rather than destructive. Things are better now. So we do share some similarities.

[@sars910]

There's a really interesting detail in the movie. During the scene where Trevor is tailing Ivan in his car, we get individual glimpses of the license plates of both cars. They're really easy to miss if you're not paying attention. However, if you ARE paying attention, you'll notice that Ivan's license plate number is the reverse of Trevor license plate number, further symbolising how Ivan is just a reflection of Trevor.

[@detectif1061]

you got this info from the movie trivia and reposted it.

[@sars910]

@@detectif1061 You're wrong but you can believe whatever you want to believe. It's not difficult to notice details like these if you're actually paying attention to the movie. There's no need for you to be so childish.

[@neuralmute]

@@sars910 Thanks for reminding me of that detail! I remember noticing it back when I first saw this movie and marvelling at how well put together all the details were so perfectly assembled for a great psychological thriller.

[@sars910]

@@neuralmute No problem, mate. I remember thinking it must have been an important detail when I saw it, though I hadn't made the connection yet that Ivan was actually Trevor's guilty subconscious.

[@neuralmute]

@@sars910 I didn't know what it meant yet either at that point, but trying to piece together all the details and clues of a movie like this is what makes it such a compelling mystery!

[@Nightman221k]

I can’t imagine how much permanent damage Christian Bale did to himself between this and Batman.

[@oregondude9411]

No such thing in this context. Humans are capable of long periods of starvation, followed by periods of a lot of food. And repeated. If done properly, you will have no lasting problems. The only thing I can think of is diabetes. You can get it from extreme stress. I suppose cortisol (stress chemical) corrodes the arteries. So I guess you will have some lasting damage, but it depends on circumstances, genetics, age, childhood nutrition, pre-mature birth etc.

[@Fragenzeichenplatte]

@@oregondude9411 I like how you started with "No such thing" and ended with "I guess there is such thing after all".

[@kh-wp1mj]

Yea I dont like how people are praising it as a recovering ana

[@Nightman221k]

@@kh-wp1mj I feel like starving yourself to that point and denying yourself food and smoking in place of eating; then pushing yourself to have a perfect muscular physic can't possibly be healthy. Hollywood and audiences thinking it's a sign of being a truly brilliant actor seem like they're glorifying hurting yourself. I feel like it's kind of ironic how people completely missed the point of why Robert Pattinson said that he didn't want to do any insane body routines to play Batman. People act like it's just out of laziness or lack of commitment, when it's really more saying you shouldn't have to alter your body in a short amount of time by depending on steroids or unhealthy diet routines.

[@chriss.9398]

@@Nightman221k You don't have to hurt yourself to be a brilliant actor. Commitment to a role can be demonstrated through many forms. Christian Bale is not just a brilliant actor because of that reason, he also really knows how to act. As demonstrated in his many other films. This is one of his least notorious films he has been in. Regardless, It's his personal choice to go as far as he does. No one forces him to. That is where, in my opinion, the unethical part would have come from. I myself believe anyone has the right to do whatever they want to their bodies. No one should encourage it though, but should be a personal choice. Being in control of our own bodies is the few actual freedoms we have in this world.

[@AlisonBryen]

This really was the perfect film to watch at 2am in the morning during that weird timeless week between Christmas and New Year.

[@JohnSmith-mk1rj]

I live in NYC, and there's this whole weird thing that happens between Thanksgiving and New Years. Everyone is smiling and nice to one another. We don't have any Walmarts here, so we don't have that insane Black Friday thing going on, and everyone is saying 'Happy Holidays' to one another. People on the subway are smiling and polite, and nobody seems bothered by anything. Then, once New Years is over, we get plunged into the most bleak months of the year - January and February. It's bitter, bitter cold and depressing. If there was Christmas snow, it piles up in mounds and gets filthy dirty, the trees appear black and skeletal, and there's no holidays (most companies don't give employees a day off for MLK Jr. Day, it's more of a bank thing like President's Day). It's so strange. Like the happiest time in the city is _immediately_ followed by the most depressing. But that whole 'happy' period. 'Timeless' is a really interesting way of phrasing it.

[@AlisonBryen]

@@JohnSmith-mk1rj In the UK everybody goes crazy for Christmas and then before you know it's gone. We have Boxing Day on 26th December but that's really just a day when we eat leftover turkey and watch Mary Poppins and The Great Escape on TV. During that week time just seems to drift on endlessly from day to day and it feels a little unsettling to me. Every year I end up staying up too late watching films. That's when I watched The Machinist...and 2am at the end of December just felt like the perfect time to watch it. That said I first watched The Revenant on Easter Monday so who am I to judge! New Years Eve is a brief respite before the long dark gloom and depression of January. I HATE January. The most depressing thing I ever saw in January was dead christmas trees outside all of the shops restaurants in The Grassmarket in Edinburgh.

[@XeniusChannel]

Bruh, that was happening to me back in 2014, I watched The Machinist for the 1st time ever. It was around Christmas and it was late in 2 am or something. I felt so weird when I watched the movie.

[@miagrande8323]

HAHA it’s 2:50 December 24 and I just finished watching the movie and automatically ran to KZbin to see what the critics had to say. What are the odds

[@Mcskittelybiscuts]

Well this comment is very weird to read right now. and you posted it 3 months ago yikes,

[@MICEBATH]

This movie scared me really bad. My friend was going through depression and having really bad anorexia. She went from 120 to 80 some odd pounds. Seeing this movie helped me realize that there are signs to stuff. Thankfully me and a group of friends helped her.

[@nxirfan]

Dude, you drop this 👑 king!

[@Bandstand]

Find a video or article discussing this film that doesn’t use skeleton Christian. I dare you 😂

[@lucasnunes2453]

You're everywhere I go on youtube...are you a manifestation of my subconscious guilt for not smashing dat mf like button and subscribe ?

[@marsbars6869]

stop following me

[@gabebolden9394]

Find a video or article discussing endgame that doesn't use images of the Snap. I dare you.

[@LoganardoDVinci]

Ditto for The Shining and Jack's face through the door.

[@marsbars6869]

@@xenbaker3532 It's a joke on how he's on a lot of yt videos

[@Groncheroente]

This is such a Silent Hill movie. Even more that the actually 2 SH movies out there lmao. The seemingly innocent protag that actually did something horrible but we as audience dont know it, hell even himself doesnt "know it". Amazing movie.

[@Biggssyyy]

I was watching this video and all i could think was it was giving off massive silent hill vibes more true to silent hill than the movies. Thank you for backing up my thoughts lol

[@danhectic5629]

i think you guys convinced me i should watch this.

[@neuralmute]

@@danhectic5629 You should absolutely watch this. It's a mind bending trip of a movie, and one of Christian Bale's best performances ever.

[@lainiwakura1776]

Ignoring anything after the Room, no, not really. Three out of 4 protagonists did nothing wrong: Harry and Cheryl were just on their way to a vacation there, Heather is Cheryl reincarnated, and Henry just has an apartment connected to it.

[@lainiwakura1776]

@@GundamGokuTV No it's not, it's influenced by it, at least the ones actually worked on by Team Silent.

[@tinycrimester]

"the machinist is a mix of memento, fight club, jacob's ladder and one hour photo" you just told me everything i needed to know. brb, i have a movie to see.

[@tylertheguy3160]

Alright, here's what I propose: it's called the Bale Scale and it's used to determine the severity of physical transformations actors go through. To the far left of the scale we have the skinniest (The Machinist) and to the far right we have the largest (Vice).

[@LanceVanceDance84]

IIRC he also lost weight for Rescue Dawn where he played an American POW during the Vietnam War, lost weight for The Fighter, and gained weight for American Hustle. The dude is crazily committed to his craft.

[@Lazrael32]

Matt Damon once did a similar (but not as extreme) weight loss and gain. He claims his doctor told him if he ever does it again he will likely die. That was when he was much younger.

[@tylertheguy3160]

@@Lazrael32 What movie was it for?

[@Lazrael32]

@@tylertheguy3160 courage under fire i believe.

[@Higesgirl]

Christian Bale going from this fuckin walking skeleton wearing thin human skin to packing on a bunch of muscle for Batman Begins is fascinating. He's one of the modern method actors.

[@oregondude9411]

Didn't this transformation from skinny to fit almost kill him? Not from normal to skinny. Most people can survive starvation. Your body is set up for it. But malnourished and famished to fit and muscular, that has to put a lot of stress on an already stressed body.

[@Higesgirl]

@@oregondude9411 Yeah. He had to be hospitalized and he wanted to go even skinnier. The director was like, "Fuck no. Please don't game end yourself for this movie."

[@burtbiggum499]

Yeah its called steroids

[@alexandrebeaudry8377]

His ass muscle even got out of their sockets during the diet. He laugh of it.

[@ReelPodcasts]

What I think is the best about him clearly being a method actor is that he doesn't use it to be a prick like some people do *cough cough* Jared Leto

[@LucyLioness100]

Oy this movie is totally insane. I only remember the hype about Bale’s weight loss and his impressive regain of muscle for “Batman Begins” the following year at the time of release. Watching it again a few months back, the film is still really good and tragic thanks to Bale’s performance

[@deirdrejones5974]

I teach fitness classes part time-what you’d need to put your internal organs through for that kind of rapid weight loss and gain can do irreversible damage. This includes your brain.

[@neuralmute]

@@deirdrejones5974 Absolutely. I used to be a serious ballet dancer, and ended up with osteoporosis and a broken hip at 16 thanks to the sort of insane dieting that too many young dancers are pressured into. Healthy, healed, and still dancing 25 yrs later, but that sort of extreme weight loss (and gain, then loss, then gain) is seriously unhealthy for the entire body! That doesn't negate that Christian Bale's performance here is utterly brilliant - he's an extremely good actor - but the attention on this movie because of how he starved himself nearly to death is troubling. I'd rather his performance was recognised, like in "American Psycho", rather than the lengths to which he'd torture himself for a role.

[@humane143imperfection6]

@@deirdrejones5974 Performance art does get a little extreme.

[@jenniferbarrett555]

Most of the snippets I've seen of the movie turn Christian Bale's appearance into some shock-factor horror thing. This is the first time I've seen a video that actually explores the movie in a sensitive and philosophical way. Great as always, Ryan

[@VanillaEnigma]

I personally love this film, especially its film/neo-noir vibes. The lengths Christian Bale went for, especially physically, is not to be underestimated. Not to mention that he had to bulk up fast for his next role as Bruce Wayne for the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy. Great film, definitely recommend it.

[@RyanHollinger]

Oh I never considered it as a noir despite the films I compared it to!

[@VanillaEnigma]

@@RyanHollinger Perhaps I'm mistaken but I just felt like the atmosphere, the paranoia, the color schemes and music reminded me of the old 'on-the-run' films. Talk about the guilt eating you up, huh?

[@detectif1061]

it wasnt that fast, he had well over a year to bulk.

[@NoirFan84]

One of the maddest body transformations for any role. Micheal Fassbender did similar to play Bobby Sands in Hunger too. Got to admire that level of commitment to a role.

[@mike_is_grim777]

Also the Dallas buyers club movie.

[@HadalStreetlights]

Im thinking about the og Oldboy.

[@dirkjewitt5037]

This movie is exactly why I think Bale has perfected his craft. He's an amazing actor.

[@humane143imperfection6]

Dedication to the craft beyond his own well-being. The contrast between the Machinist and Batman and then back to the Fighter.. the man is making art with his entire body.

[@juliogutierrez5256]

Best way you can watch a movie is with no clue watsoever about runtime, genre, themes and thats exactly what happened to me with this one, from thinking its about supernatural horror the puting together the pieces of a nearly perfect psicological horror that stays with you and makes you remember the crazy dont know theyre crazy, you start to question whats true and start apreciating the surreal.

[@RickReasonnz]

The one and only reason I watched this is because I really enjoyed Batman Begins and thought I should watch more of this Bale fellow. Little did I know that this film would easily slip in to my Top Movies list!

[@boobootittleman7299]

Bale’s body transformation here is legitimately scary. He looks so damn malnourished & ill. However, it genuinely compliments the performance & delivers something incredible. Great video, Ryan!

[@numerum_bestia]

Bale must have an incredibly fast metabolism or he took weight loss pills. I live on whiskey, coffee, cigarettes and usually one small meal a day. Sometimes I don’t eat for a few days at a time. And I still look nothing like he did in that film. I guess he could have sat in a sauna for 6 hours a day or given himself a tapeworm lol.

[@rambam791]

@@numerum_bestia Yeah, I used to run a similar ''diet'', never looked anything close to him, and I have a fast metabolism. You've gotta be actually ill to look like that.

[@CannaToker420]

@@numerum_bestia just reading that made me feel like shit. Damn, dude. You’re nuts, junior. you’re nuts.

[@MrSqurk]

@@numerum_bestia he was eating less than 200 calories a day and is a rather tall guy.

[@funkyweapon1981]

He looked like a zombie.

[@Charlie_Wolfe]

I have insomnia and often look tired. Whenever someone ask me why I don’t sleep I often say “probably because my subconscious created this fake world to protect me from finding out that I committed a horrible crime which continues to haunt me where I killed someone.” They don’t get the reference and just stare at me blankly

[@mr.mischiefiknowyourpasswo8224]

*cough* attention hoeing isn't exactly going to get you sympathy. Also people might not like dark humour.

[@xenbaker3532]

Attention hoeing??? I get that some people might not like dark comedy but attention hoeing?

[@rgb2296]

@@mr.mischiefiknowyourpasswo8224 bruh..

[@JorgeTorrespluspage]

I make these kind of jokes all the time and like you say, no one gets them. But I don't mind, I think of it like a one-person inside joke.

[@Pactastic042]

@@PostalDude97 I mean do you live in reality , imagine you asked someone why they looked tired and they said that

[@henryglennon3864]

Hearing "Dostoevsky" pronounced in a Norn accent was just what my day needed.

[@anart008eng]

Came looking for this comment

[@leob4403]

Honestly the pronunciation is just wrong, it would be like me saying Spalburg instead of Spielberg

[@Robocopnik]

You mean "wrong"? Because he's saying it wrong.

[@Robocopnik]

@@leob4403 Yeah, the pretentiousness of the video really makes that pretty hilarious.

[@BarryHWhite]

"Dostoevsky". There it is in a Scottish accent... your welcome.

[@termeownator]

Christian Bale's damn good. He kinda goes overlooked in my mind sometimes, I was watching 3:10 to Yuma again yesterday and noticed how good he was in the midst of all that talent

[@MyCakePop]

Love that movie!

[@GinkgoPete]

Bale is one of the best actors to ever walk this earth. Simple as.

[@dylanmonstrum1538]

He's my all time favourite actor

[@ianmaxfield549]

He goes overlooked cuz he doesnt have many big roles nowadays because he's notoriously supposed to be incredibly difficult to work with but i do agree that hes really talented.

[@dookieknuts]

He’s one of my favorite actors i think he’s a A1 actor

[@Alucard_Q_Kazoo]

Wasn’t planning on watching this until you mentioned it being inspired by Dostoyevsky. I enjoy his work and it’ll be refreshing to see inspirations of his stories in other mediums.

[@ryanreed380]

@@cactusmalone like what? Genuine question.

[@Optics2024]

One of the most underrated and rewatchable films around.

[@cilliancallaghan9788]

I really really like this film but I totally disagree that its either very underrated or very rewatchable lol

[@Optics2024]

@@cilliancallaghan9788 that’s fine, you’re entitled to your opinion. But I would argue it’s not a film that’s really talked about (this video not included lol) and it’s not mentioned as a good film as much as it should be, which is why I’d say it’s underrated. I would also argue it’s certainly a film that’s worthy of a second viewing so you can pick up on things you missed before the ending is revealed. And for me, there are little things I pick up on pretty much everytime I watch it, so I’d say 100% it’s rewatchable. But at least we can both agree on liking it 👍🏻

[@hollylaufeyson6646]

I watched it eight times in less than a week when I first discovered it. It's hypnotic and almost dreamlike. I love the use of the theremin the ambient music.

[@cilliancallaghan9788]

Damn I find that really interesting that that is your relationship with this film. I find the mystery at the heart of it to be the number one selling point and once it is revealed, Im not as keen to rewatch. To each their own though!

[@leob4403]

@@cilliancallaghan9788 this film is still meaningful even after knowing the "twist ending" unlike Usual Suspects which falls apart on subsequent viewings imo

[@TyroneBruinsmaFilms]

Personally I like to view the Machinist as Trevor being in purgatory. Both with the Route 666 reference meaning hell and the ending being Heaven for redeeming himself by admitting his guilt. But it was actual Christian Bale's physical appearance that gave me the impression-as if he has died and his body in the real world is slowly decaying. Brad Anderson is a thriller specialist and between Session 9, The Machinist and Transsiberian-he's more than cemented that. I just find it disappointing that all his follow up efforts: Vanishing on 7th Street, The Call, Stonehearst Asylum, Beruit and Fractured never reached their full potential and even derivative of his better work.

[@wstine79]

Speaking of physically demanding Christian Bale roles, how about a video on American Psycho?

[@LucyLioness100]

Ryan better get a good sponsor for that one. I’ve seen that movie twice and it still freaks me out

[@furfixer]

@@LucyLioness100 Some skincare product

[@numerum_bestia]

You like Huey Lewis and the News?

[@jstratton1981]

"Look at the camera."

[@MelTheMuppetslayer]

One of those movies that’s incredibly true to the novel(aside from the chainsaw) . From what I can remember anyway. Blew through it in 3 days during an intense bout of insomnia as a 16 year old.

[@ThePurplemaneater]

It's movies like this that make me miss the old Netflix option of picking an actor and genre and getting a list of random recommendations based on those things. That's how I came across gems like this.

[@billhicks8]

This is the kind of film that retraces a lot of the old tropes to tell its tale, yet manages to do it with such a writerly air of class and nuance that it provides a definitive example of its genre. It displays a mastery of its own bleak little noir-esque world, with a rewarding circularity of symbolism reminiscient of the film Memento. Maybe it doesn't push the envelope as far as that movie so as to go beyond its thriller-noir roots, but it still has a strange, tragic, ethical charge to it that makes it well worth watching. Underrated.

[@DBSG1976]

This movie haunts me to this day, Bale's face when he realizes he ran over the kid is incredibly sad. What a performance!

[@oregondude9411]

Dude spoilers.

[@billhicks8]

"I know who you are..." is the scene that really contains the most emotional punch

[@patrickbatman141]

One of my worst fears in life and as a result this film felt like a horror rather than a creepy drama. If I manslaughtered a kid I think I'd end up taking my own life over it.

[@jordanloux3883]

This movie actually made me think of Tim Burton. It has that odd, whimsical surrealism you see in his work, but without the humor, leaving you with this twisted, sad lump of a thing.

[@patrickbatman141]

It has that wacky, creepy, depressing tone down to a tee. Burton would of made a great movie too if he was the director of this one.

[@TomTom.o.]

Found this Near Dark, The Audition, and Momento, all at the same time, all special editions in maybe 2005 at a used dvd store. Needless to say, I got an amazing haul of movies that I still watch regularly to this day!!!

[@neuralmute]

Great collection!

[@thebatman4279]

That's a nice selection, very lucky!

[@Xehanort10]

I'm guessing the reason Trevor's so thin is because he was starving himself out of guilt.

[@JorgeTorrespluspage]

I think it's the whole year without sleep. Ryan didn't mention it (weird, considering it's kinda important) but the protagonist has had insomnia for a year (Since the incident).

[@CD-BVL]

@@JorgeTorrespluspage that's realistically impossible so i tend to think more on the theory that he basically sleeps very little and dreams that hes awake when experiencing the surreal stuff, or just half awake.

[@patrickbatman141]

No sleep either so his body is burning energy too quick already even if he wasn't starving himself. The film kind of implies he has insomnia before he runs over the kid even if he was a normal weight at the time, we see him look up at the kid in the road with quite a few seconds to react after lightning the cigarette, it wasn't a split second kind of thing.

[@festethefool6701]

8:20 this reference to Lady Macbeth's "out damn spot" is so perfectly reflective of the theme- one might think they can just switch off the fuse of guilt out of necessity, but guilt slowly drives a person insane

[@cedarandsound]

I remember seeing it a long time ago, then more recently. Despite how straight forward it is, it is so well done that it works as a simple but masterpiece drama about anguish, guilt, and depression.

[@bogdanyuriev1507]

I like how lots of people compare this movie to Silent Hill 2, not realizing that both are based on Dostoyevskiy's work and also not realizing that's the very same reason those who know EastSlav literature look at these comparisons with a smile, like a warped Cheshire's Cat, welcoming others to this AnguishLand of literary works. Also this is such a unique butchering of Russian that I'm almost compelled to compliment it... almost.

[@Pyps0403]

Sounds pretentious

[@PixelCreep]

I had a brain fart and couldn't remember your channel so I just searched "Hoyever" and here I am.

[@MovieMan9991]

Watched this for the first time the other day and absolutely loved how it subverted traditional neo-noirs. Bale’s emotional performance is genuinely under-looked in the midst of all the “how much weight he lost to play Trevor Reznik” talk. I imagine he’s as sick of hearing about it as we are.

[@Megatonwhale]

I remember seeing this in my teens after buying it on DVD from Tesco. I know a lot of the twists and turns are probably predictable by todays standards, but I really remember it having an effect on me. I watched it almost every night and I think it was the 1st time I realised how, in the right hands, subversive and complex filmmaking and writing could be. This is an important film for me for that reason. I really think I started to see film and horror-esque story telling in a whole new way after it. Great video as always, Ryan. Your uploads are a weekly highlight for me

[@clockworkcookie]

I saw this movie when it came out and I was suffering from severe depression and also dangerously underweight. The link between the two stuck with me and messed me up, even without the guilt part. Amazing, underrated movie.

[@Imgema]

This body change is the most impressive i have ever seen. I was skinny myself in my younger years but not as skinny as Bale in this movie. And now i'm pretty athletic but not as athletic as Bale in Batman. And my less dramatic change took me, like, 10 years. I guess if millions of dollars are involved it makes the process faster?

[@OfficROZWBRAZEL]

There's a limit obviously, since Bale himself said he had to stop because of the amount of damage he was doing to his body with constant rapid changes. Some things just don't go away even when you throw money at them, I guess.

[@ReVVAdAUL]

I saw it with a couple of mates at the cinema when it first came out and, because none of us were familiar with the tropes and conventions of the genre, repeatedly mouthed WTF at each other throughout the film. We were impressed with it at the end while still somewhat confused. Still remember feeling so sorry for the sex worker character as her hopes for a future with the protagonist are aggressively dashed by him towards the end of the film. Also you're not wrong about not many people having seen it. I remember seeing an episode of the mid 2000s BBC daytime soap Doctors that liberally ripped off the film and you have to imagine if anyone involved in production was aware of The Machinist they wouldn't have allowed such blatant plagiarism to air, for legal reasons if nothing else.

[@alexkamper4897]

I think it’s funny Ryan says he’s gonna make a drinking game for every time he says guilt. Because me and my friends have been playing a drinking game for every time he says however for YEARS!

[@faidheanta2611]

Hoyever*

[@Cavemanner]

I saw this at age 14ish, circa 2009, and for me it was a transformative experience. It was the first time I truly understood what they were trying to teach us in English classes about undertones and foreshadowing and I immediately ran it back and watched with an eye for the details and they are amazing. Thanks for reminding me of this.

[@wstine79]

I'd ask if there was a Skillshare class on how to perform magic by saying HOYEVER, but I'm sure it's a skill only few can pull off.

[@Saltpork305]

I was one of those people who saw this movie when it came out and without giving anything away to show it: tunnel car. This movie was haunting and good and even all these years on I remember it quite vividly. The trauma required to try to become nothing due to guilt is really well explored.

[@KMHill]

I have known The Machinist well since it was first released. Have always loved it. My favourite element in the movie is the score. You choose great titles for your essays!

[@LikeCarvingACake]

Ive only seen this movie once, just shortly after Batman Begins came out in theaters, and somehow have remembered 90% of the details of the flick. Being 19/20, I didn't really pickup on the details, and wasn't much of a film guy, but somehow I understood the effervescent symbolism. I think that's a testament to great subversive film making, where the move doesn't' try to outsmart you at all, and is showing you everything. All you have to do is see it.

[@YouLikeBosch]

I'd seen it prior to this video but your synopsis enlightened me to things I almost certainly missed while watching it. It's one of those films you only watch once because it's distressing throughout, and everything from the lighting, the tone, the setting - it's dreary and unwelcoming. I don't care to ever see it again.

[@_foxpuppet]

I remember watching this film and, while finding the underlying plot fairly standard, enjoying the hell out of the way the story is told. A very good example of story being a journey not a destination

[@grekeandshaw]

Thank you for covering this movie! I have been watching you for so long and found a ton of new movies thanks to you. The Machinist is my favorite movie because of Christian Bales performance and the story that it tells. I was really taken aback by the ending, not only because of what happened, but because he makes the right choice in the end. It was really beautiful. I also really love how the amusement park ride explains the ending before you really know what happens. I really need to watch this movie again now...

[@arcadia7459]

One of my favourite movies, seen it more times than I can count, and I'm still surprised by the ending every time

[@VoidingTheContract]

Yay for another all-time favorite of mine covered here! The way you know what it's going to be since the start yet it never tells you until the end is impressive. You want to find out but at the same time you dread reaching the truth, much like Trevor in his quest.

[@aychelleff]

Man…. What a great movie. Definitely gives me Mementos feels. It honestly is so jarring seeing him with his shirt off for the first time, and you can see all of his bones poking from his skin

[@MadPropzBaller]

This movie has such a gripping atmosphere, the soundtrack is absolutely incredible.

[@marcelleroux9172]

This film was so amazingly insightful with regards to how someone experiences psychosis. It's amazing in every way. I feel dread a.d heartbreak every time I watch it. We hide things about ourselves and they sometimes consume us. It's just incredible.

[@lilyisacat29]

I didn’t actually read/hear about Bale’s weight loss until I had watched it myself. It’s a very jarring film, and the ending was… just so depressing. Another great video, Ryan!

[@pong86r]

i remember this being one of those movies where the marketing department and the actual movie were thinking different things. a lot of people were pissed. i was glad to have been tricked, it was good

[@marthavidaliguirao8699]

So happy to see you analyse this film!! I watched it a few years ago because it was filmed in my city, Barcelona, and absolutely loved it!

[@coldhazzard]

This is my 4th attempt to watch this video without falling asleep to Ryan's voice.

[@FellipeMendes-twt]

You're more than right, Ryan Heard of Chris's weight loss ✅ Never watched the film and had no idea what it was about ✅

[@ItsDesm]

I've always really liked this movie ever since I saw it in the early 00s. You're correct that it doesn't really get talked about much besides just the weight loss. It's a fascinating look at the mind of someone trying to come to terms with circumstances in their life. Another movie that came to mind and I don't think you have covered it is 2013's "Enemy" directed by Denis Villeneuve. I highly recommend it. It tackles similar themes about someone trying to grapple with feelings and thoughts that are too much for their psyche.

[@Laughingwithtravii]

as a dude that has struggled with social anxiety, depression, anorexia as well as insomnia this film will always be one of the strangest comforts. i cant really put it into words but i guess if i had to try it was like seeing yourself, knowing something was wrong and not being able to change it, or maybe not seeing anything wrong at all, or at worst you deserve it. anyways its equal parts scary and reassuring that i was at some point similar to this. ill always love it for that reason, insomnia isnt just not sleeping. while yea that IS part of it, its the effects of that which are the issue, not just lack of shut eye. you start to be unable to trust yourself sometimes. one of the things the film captured wonderfully as well as influencing the audience to feel similarly. just amazing storytelling and writing. anyways now to actually watch this, i started crying typing this so thats... thats something. i know i love this movie and its easily bales favorite role for me but i didnt realize how close to home it hit still even now. thanks for the vid also! wild to me that one of my favorites is just "that weird skinny movie bale did" to someone. but i guess i have plenty of other weird favs. like brokeback mountain, which is almost exclusively that gay cowboy movie to everyone. not wrong but also completly misses the depth of the point it made. BUT ANYWAYS. edit: yup still one of my all time favs and you did it justice. i think the amount of themes it covers probably mean almost anyone can see themselves in this movie to some degree. for better or worse. as a gay dude i struggled a lot with guilt (also one of the reasons i love brokeback mountain, that could have been me. i could have been this.) i remember washing with bleach as well, i felt dirty and sinful. wild. crazy how much ive grown when i stop and think about it. i should rewatch this sometime its been more than afew years. thanks for the incredible vid once again. if you could do brokeback mountain thatd be sick. i feel like it isnt taken seriously by many sadly. its another one of my favorite movies for the emotional impact it had like i mentioned above. im a southern gay, and while im only 29 it wasnt like it was that long ago where it was looked down upon. growing up i was plagued with the idea of having to marry a girl just to seem normal but being deeply unhappy the whole time. or simply never knowing love, either bc i didnt find it, got murdered, or killed myself. those arent thoughts a child should really be having, but i totally was. brokeback mountain for me captured a story not told too often. even today when i bring up that its one of my favorite films, the reactions i get are extremely telling about just how important the movie really was especially for when it came out, no pun intended. for any comment scrollers that somehow see my comment before major spoilers i HIGHLY SUGGEST you go watch the film then revisit this vid. i couldnt imagine damping the emotional impact of this movie even slightly it is so potent i beg you. oh last thing, while i hecka respect bales passion to his craft, the body image and almost horror like way people talk about the transformation overshadows literally everything important about the movie to an obnoxious degree so thanks for not doing that. specifically for those of us who used to or currently do have bodies like his its nice to not have to listen to gasp and omgsoskinny, which can also be rather enabling might i add.

[@Scarecr0wn]

I remember this movie way back, when I wasn´t really used to psychological dramas that literally hurts to watch. I was seriously shaken after the ending. This movie basically started my love for this genre. It is one of those underrated masterpieces that I tried to convince many people to watch. Not so many listened.

[@myettechase]

I really enjoyed this movie but any time he took his shirt off I had to look away. The human body just isn’t supposed to look like that. It’s effective as hell and definitely plot-relevant, but it’s just too much for me personally.

[@thebatman4279]

I completely agree. And the running scenes make me wince too after i read about how hellish it was for Bale to run at such a weight.

[@Squirreltasticqueen]

The way actors are yo yoing like this is horrifying. I won't be surprised if he gets heart disease, since weight fluctuating a any level can result in your body cannibalizing your heart. So far so good for him but it's a shame what we force our enteraltainers do for our fun. I'm reminded of Prince and the way he was on pain killers from damage from his performances.

[@jacobharrison8064]

yo yoing

[@TL_oS]

I remember the stories of Bale’s weight loss circulating at the time and I saw the film years ago and thought he was brilliant and devastating. So glad you are talking about it.

[@DJJuxtapose]

Another brilliant breakdown. This was one hell of a film to watch, with a very unique aesthetic and mood - the isolation you feel for the character, despite being surrounded by others, was intense. Well done, Ryan.

[@PulpandArt]

LOVED this film. My only gripe is the weird mixing of the music. Am I the only person who thought it was sometimes too loud?

[@lanagievski1540]

I remember this movie making me feel so uncomfortable and gross. It’s one of the best depictions of dissociation

[@UUDDLRLRAB_select_start]

This movie still to this day is one of my favorites. Having insomnia fucking sucks, knowing from experience

[@occultnightingale1106]

I first noticed this movie on Netflix many years ago, but seeing how Christian Bale looked, I avoided it because, honest to god, I assumed it was some kind of CG/Motion Capture effect, and thought it was going to be some schlocky body horror movie as a result. When I heard the story behind Christian Bale's weight loss for the role, I immediately went to look for it again, but it was gone by then, so last year when I finally found it again on Paramount+. I watched it, and it became one of my favorite movies of all time. Everything about it, from the story, to the character work, to the philosophical references and trivia tidbits, to Christian Bale's weight loss all contribute to something that really struck a chord with me.

[@jordanbooth7952]

I really liked this film. It felt like a better version of Secret Window, especially when it comes to that post it note, which i thought was clever. I'd love to see your thoughts on A Cure for Wellness. To me, it felt like a modern day lovecraftian tale, that while not the best, definitely had some interesting things going on.

[@dontdiscriminatehateeveryo9263]

I respect his self discipline bc what he puts his body through for his craft is insane. He's one of the best actors of this generation. Haven't seen this movie but I just don't like watching movies often. My a.d.d. makes it a chore.

[@realonereal1]

relatable

[@mjd3879]

Man the whole machine factory area and that accident...What a dark and uncomfortable series of events especially when hes back in the locker area after his shift the next day.

[@blanchequizno7306]

Bale's extreme weight loss was why I watched the movie in the first place. It's a harrowing journey into madness. I stumbled across the blog of a schizophrenic woman online, in which she explains that she can't take her medication because she's actually *telepathic* and it just hasn't been scientifically recognized yet. She talks about *dozens* of people following her, even getting on the same airplane she boards to go visit family for a weekend - and on her return trip, they're there as well! Your analysis really brought out these parallels for me. I don't think I could watch The Machinist twice, though, though I'm glad I saw it the one time.

[@1313MockingBird_Lane]

Dostoevesky vibes The Idiot was an allegory, it just makes it more interesting. Brilliant writer (sorry I'm a big fan)

[@TheLazyEconomist]

I knew about the weight loss but the story is so different from what I expected. When it appeared on your channel, I was certain it was a horror film.

[@31webseries]

I saw this British movie "The Hide" once, can't find it to save my life now but it was quite the psychological set piece like "Possum" and this.

[@rociomiranda5684]

Dear, I'd never even heard of this movie. I love your channel. Method acting can really kill someone. I saw an old movie once about an actor who played Othello, nearly strangled his Desdemona and stabbed himself on stage. That's commitment.

[@MarkGrouch]

Coincidentally, I watched this for the first time a couple days ago. Great film!

[@SteveOnTheEastCoast]

This was a really good character study. Enjoyed it on the first watch.

[@sezert]

I’d say this and The Jacket are two movies that exist in the same sort of grimey, psychological horror genre from the 2000’s. both films are under appreciated and deserve to be seen by more people.

[@LoveIsLouder26]

Dude, synchronicity…I watched this movie today. Literally just finished it and came to KZbin to look at analyses and theories and saw you (my favorite review channel) uploaded this in the same day. Needless to say I’m freaked out😂😂

[@rabnerd28]

I can't look at the visuals for this. Looking at Bale so gaunt literally makes me want to pass out.

[@darkdefender5759]

I loved this film, remember I was one of 3 people in Cineworld when it came out, such a gripping performance. Also own it on DVD. Beside the weight loss and committed performance from Bale, it has a great atmosphere throughout. Thanks for the video.

[@andrewhiggins43]

Rules of attraction please! Great film, very underrated. Any movie that can make me like James Van Der Beek is surely worth a watch.

[@RW-cp8gp]

So crazy seeing “Lister” from the Back to Reality episode/“Raimi” from Death Machine looking so menacing as Ivan!

[@specialk8888]

The moment at the end of the film after he's confessed to what he's done and released the anguish on his soul and he rests his head on the pillow and goes to sleep, really stuck with me for a very long time

[@Sandul666]

i did watch the movie a while ago, but it's been a while, so i've forgotten a lot about it. glad to watch you go over it again as a refresher :)

[@kayla-hm5vr]

one of my favorites! I hadn't seen it since it came out but this reminded me of how powerful the film could be. Always love the vids Ryan!

[@djrakman3909]

Some of the best sleep and dreams I have ever had has been in my cell after i finally got caught. It is always a huge relief

[@ghostlydolls]

I love this film so much. I remember doing a presentation on it for my french class back in 9th grade and no one understood why I was so obsessed.

[@emtoprma]

One of my favor films of all time. I bumped up into it way before knowing anything about Christian Bale.

[@inuzi]

I remember when I saw this movie for the first time. It was recommended by a friend shortly after Batman Begins was released, he told me nothing about it other than Christian Bale was in, and I wasn't familiar with Bales previous acting jobs. It was a hell of a ride when I saw it, at the time I did enjoyed movies like Fight Club and Memento.

[@brakorinspaceo81]

I saw this movie back when I was in 9th grade, before knowing about the weight loss... or that Christian Bale was even in it. Was my favorite movie for such a long time. I still love it

[@Max-vz3tb]

i'm one of the people who had heard of bale's weight loss but had never seen or even knew the name of the film it came from but let me tell you. the moment you listed the films it felt like a mix of i *knew*, bro. i felt it in my bones

[@RowanWhite1980]

I have this on my watchlist because of the clear nods to both Nine Inch Nails’ “The Downward Spiral” album and Trent Reznor himself.

[@elijahownsall]

How do you not have over 1m subscribers?? Literally one of the best movie related channels on here. I consider you, Dead Meat, and Chris Stuckman to be the greats. Keep it up man!!

[@Graggle_Gabagool]

I have a soft spot for characters that hang around in the background, who may not really be there and act as a hanging metaphor. I love that stuff too much xD