Netflix is dropping a ton of titles at the end of the month but one film you have to see before it leaves the platform is The Machinist.
This psychological thriller stars Christian Bale in one of his best performances and features many twists and turns that will leave your head throbbing. It follows Trevor Reznik, a lathe operator suffering from an extreme case of insomnia that has lasted a whole year.
After going so long without sleep, Reznik begins to hallucinate, leaving viewers questioning what’s real and what’s imaginary. The appearance of a mysterious co-worker named Ivan leads Reznik to investigate what this new employee’s intentions are — but the answers will only unravel his sanity even further.
The film has become infamous for the extreme weight loss Bale underwent when preparing for the role. This was achieved by an intense training routine and a diet that consisted of a cup of black coffee, an apple, and a can of tuna each day. Adding up to a daily intake of around 200 calories, it’s no surprise the actor appears unhealthily slim throughout, with his skeletal frame and hollow eyes are almost as harrowing as the film itself.
As he gets older, Bale has said he won’t undergo any more extreme weight transformations for roles. “I can’t keep doing it. I really can’t,” the 47-year-old actor stated in an interview for The Times. “My mortality is staring me in the face.”
With no more wild weight losses on the horizon for Bale, you can appreciate the lengths he pushed his body to by catching The Machinist before it leaves Netflix in just a few days.
