The Machinist (2004)

Brad Anderson's 2004 psychological thriller follows Trevor Reznik, played by Christian Bale, a factory worker who suffers from insomnia, so severe that his condition has taken its toll on his weight and mental health. When Trevor unintentionally causes an accident at work and injures a co-worker, he begins to become even more troubled. Despite a relationship with Stevie, he descends further into paranoia, blaming his problems on an enigmatic figure named Ivan. The film has a tendency to question what we perceive to be real and how the mind deals with trauma.

We can see almost instantly that Reznik suffers from mental health issues, due to his scrawny pale body, which other characters within the film mention continuously. Already considered as an outsider at the factory he works at, Reznik is further pushed over the edge when he is the cause of a serious accident, when a colleague loses an arm. The accident is a result of his concentration lapsing, because he is focused on Ivan. This pushes Bale's character further into distress, his insomnia intensifies due to the guilt he feels over the accident. We soon discover that nobody other than Reznik has seen Ivan or knows of his existence, leading us as an audience to question the reality of Ivan. We see how tormenting Ivan is to Reznik, as recurring motifs appear. His paranoia heightens as nobody believes in the existence of Ivan. Stevie, a prostitute Reznik has relations with, seems like the only person he can confide in, finding peace and comfort with her. Which tips him over the edge when his jealousy over an imaginary relationship between Ivan and Stevie startles him.

Despite all of his troubles, he attempts a relationship with Maria, a waitress and her son, Nicholas. The three take a trip to a theme park, where he takes Nicholas on a fairground ride, turning into an experience for the both. Trevor sees many disturbing subliminal messages, whilst the flashing lights spark an epileptic fit for Nicholas.

As we reach the climax of the film, flashbacks reveal to us that a year previously, Reznik was involved in a hit and run with a young boy, who turns out to be Nicholas. The events during the film are revealed and the true meaning of his insomnia is revealed, due to the guilt of the accident. His mind created the character of Ivan as a way to re-direct his guilt.

We can relate Freud's theory to this film, as the film covers memory repression. Defined as in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defence mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings and memories. Freud came up with the idea of defence mechanisms and said that they were unconscious. According to Freud, people repress painful memories to protect ones self concept, and to minimise anxiety.

Reznik's insomnia is a result of his guilty conscience. Using Freud's theory, we can identify Ivan as the id, the repressed part of the personality. The id is the primal, instinctive aspect of personality, expressing emotions and carrying out actions without the ego.

Trevor is the films ego, as he is the main character, dealing with reality and the never ending battle between his insomnia and therefore, his guilt.

The relationship with Maria and Nicholas, in addition to Stevie play out as the superego. Maria and Nicholas' fictional relationship with Reznik show a possible source of repentance. His kindness towards them both, Nicholas in particular, shows he is feeling guilty and trying to make amends. However Stevie provides comfort and warmth for him, advising and helping him.

The techniques used in the film demonstrate Lacan's theory, and show Reznik's loneliness, and ultimately, his lack:

• Low key lighting, connoting darkness and evil.
• Long, drawn out shots. Slow paced using panning and tracking shots, giving a stronger sense of realism.
• Mainly diegetic sound, however when we do hear non-diegetic sound it is instrumental and gives us a dark and eerie feel. Main use of violins and synth, which alters in volume, giving a sense of tension.
• Point of view shots.
• A mixture of high and low angles. Making him appear both dominant and then opposing this by showing him as being weak (mainly high angles).

Trevor has 3 physical choices of direction to take within the film. Within the first, he takes the left option, going to the 'highway to hell'. Taking this choice his mind continues to play tricks on him, whilst his past haunts him. Once again, he chooses the left option, further descending on a pathway of destruction. Finally, in the last scene, he has his final choice, the airport, to escape from his troubles and past, or the 'right' choice, towards the light shown in the past two choices, to hand himself into the police precinct and admit to the crime which has haunted him. He takes the right option, the 'road to salvation'. Which as the ego, is the most predictable verdict for him, as he is dealing with reality, and must face the consequences of his past.