The Machinist (2004) Dir Brad Anderson
The story of the machinist is nothing as it seems. Trevor is a man who suffers from insomnia and as a result hasn't slept for a year. When the film starts we see Trevor disposing of a dead body and returning to his apartment to wash his hands with bleach. A post it note is reflected in the bathroom mirror he stands in front of, on it are the words 'Who are you'. This is a strange question to have written on a note in your house and it puzzles Trevor s much as the audience and the film starts to unravel the answer in a dark and mysterious way.
More post it notes appear through out this story, the main one being a game of hangman which Trevor spends the film trying to solve.
The use of colour in this film is nothing short of brilliant when used to create the mood and tone of the story. The cinematography is a piece of art in itself when viewing. A colourless palette harshly lit at times, introducing the use of Chiaroscuro has a really strong effect upon the films look. At times the colour seems to be altogether removed such as in this still below.
The character shown here is Ivan. Here Trevor meets him for the first time whilst in the car having a cigarette. It is at this point of the film where it all starts to kick off. A thunder storm threatens in the distance as this mysterious character is introduced to the film.
Trevor job is to work heavy machinery. This in itself brings over a uneasy feel when you consider the fact that Trevor suffers from insomnia and operating potentially dangerous machinery and if not used properly isn't reassuring.
In the first few scenes of the film, close up shots of the machinery is used. This shows the power and strength they hold and the danger they pose in the sharp drills and fast mechanisms. These shots bring a sense of foreboding to the film, saying at this point something could happen.
As the film continues we see the relationship with a limited amount of characters in his life. A waitress and her son who he tries to touch normality with, a hooker he regularly sees and in turn the only person he trusts and confides in, the men he works with- who are disturbed by his behaviour and appearance and Ivan a very strange man indeed.
The ultimate turning point is when a colleague of Trevor's called Miller gets his arm cut off. This is Trevor's fault as he wasn't paying attention to the job at hand but distracted by Ivan who was working across the room.
From here things change. He becomes paranoid and thinks that the notes left behind in his apartment are somehow linked to Miller. He is also becoming stressed by the existence of Ivan who contrary to his belief seems to not be a real person.
Trying to get to the bottom of the note leaver and the true identity of Ivan he delves deeper and deeper into paranoia and suspicion.
What i found interesting is how the insomnia is almost a character of its own. It infects and oozes its way through the entire film, contaminating Trevor and affecting those around him also. It shadows everything he does and even affects the audience viewing it as they do not know the truth from Trevor's fiction.
Then, as an act of desperation and stupidity some would say, throws himself in front of a car so that he can report a hit and run using Ivan's car as the details to find out who exactly Ivan is and if he and Miller are working together to make him seem insane.
When finding out the car is in fact his that he owned a year ago and was a right off, he runs away from the police to a sewer to escape their chase.
A great metaphor for Trevor's internal struggle was the underground sewer scene.
He is stumbling through raw sewage running away from the police. Unsure of his way at times, the tunnels reflect his mind and the way he is confused and his thoughts muddied by the insomnia he struggles with.
When things come to a head he finally realises and answers the question to 'Who are you'?
The truth outs and we understand that Trevor has made up Maria the waitress and Ivan.
Trevor's reality is that he in fact performed a hit and run a year ago and killed a boy- the mother being the waitress he had changed the real identity of and imagined. A year ago in the car he sees Ivan driving, Trevor committed the crime. Since then he has wasted away and become paranoid and ill by his inability to sleep.
The last scene of the film is Trevor giving himself up to the police after realising what he has done. As this happened you see the incident of him hitting the boy and the very different appearance of Trevor.
The last scene before the credits is Trevor in a white cell room. The contrast from the rest of the film is startling. Clean white walls and bright light seem to symbolise and reflect the goodness in what he has done. Aptly he falls asleep and the credits roll.
A very engaging review - I like what you say about the insomnia being a character in itself - and there's a lot of consideration here given to the metaphorical dimension of the spaces in the film.
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