The Machinist

Released: 2004
Drama, Mystery
Director: Brad Anderson
Starring: Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Running Time: 101 minutes
Rated: R

The breakdown: An industrial worker, who's lost a lot of weight and a lot of sleep (in fact, he hasn't slept in a year) can't figure out what's happening to him.

This was a very interesting and hard movie to watch.  It certainly keeps you guessing as to what's going on with this man so as to make him a complete insomniac.

I really don't want to ruin this one for you so this review is brief.

He works in a machine shop during the day and at night goes to this airport cafe to have coffee and pie.  He makes friends with the waitress and learns more about her and her life as he spends more time with her outside of her job.  She has a young boy that needs a father figure and the machinist seems to genuinely like the boy.

If you're a big Christian Bale fan, the state of his body is alarming.  He ate only an apple a day for months to shrink down to a measly 100 pounds or so for this role.  He looks like a walking skeleton and I think he took this role way too seriously as far as dropping too much weight for a movie.
Though this method was severe, it wasn't needed as his performance is good and the movie really throws you for a loop until the end.

See it if you haven't yet and are looking to figure out a mystery.

4 out of 5 for a unique movie with solid acting and writing.