Avid moviegoers will figure out most of the plot twists fairly quickly, but I still love Brad Anderson’s ability to consistently hammer home a vibe & never let up. He singularly embraces a concept, you make your own hell, and you can only escape by facing reality, but does not sacrifice character development in order to do so. I loved Session 9, and though The Machinist fails to surprise in comparison, it is still a strong entry in the psychological film category. As always, Christian Bale goes above & beyond by literally becoming his character–he lost an insane amount of weight & it hurts to see him in that condition. It took me forever to appreciate Jennifer Jason Leigh, but I finally do. First Flesh + Blood, now this! I prefer it when she embraces her gritty, world worn characters as opposed to crisp, 40s style fast-talker, which feels derivative in comparison.