Year: 2004
Runtime: 101 min
Language: English
Director: Brad Anderson
Haunted by severe insomnia, factory worker Trevor Reznik finds his mental and physical health deteriorating. As his condition worsens, Trevor experiences disturbing events at his workplace and becomes increasingly paranoid. He's convinced someone named Ivan is controlling his actions, leading him down a spiraling path where the line between reality and delusion blurs.
Warning: spoilers below!
Haven’t seen The Machinist yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!
Explore the full timeline and setting of The Machinist (2004). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.
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Meet the key characters of The Machinist (2004), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.
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Explore the central themes of The Machinist (2004), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.
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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Stories where the protagonist's perception of reality is dangerously unreliable.If you enjoyed the narrative puzzle of The Machinist, this section features movies like it where the main character's perception is flawed. Explore similar psychological thrillers and mystery stories that challenge reality, leading to twist endings that change the entire story's meaning.
Narratives in this thread are built around a central character whose trauma, guilt, or mental illness warps their experience of events. The story deliberately withholds objective truth, making the audience complicit in the protagonist's paranoia and confusion. The plot structure typically leads to a major revelation that explains the character's unreliable state, often involving a repressed memory or a fractured psyche.
These films are grouped together because they share a specific narrative device—the unreliable narrator—to create suspense and psychological depth. They offer a similar viewing experience of disorientation, mystery, and a final, mind-bending payoff that redefines the journey.
Films where a heavy atmosphere of anxiety and guilt slowly consumes the character.For viewers seeking the specific slow-burning, claustrophobic vibe of The Machinist, this list highlights movies with a similar feel. Discover other intense character studies and psychological dramas that use a deliberate pace and dark tone to explore themes of guilt, insomnia, and mental unraveling.
The narrative journey in these films is a gradual, inexorable decline into a character's personal hell. The conflict is largely internal—a battle with guilt, trauma, or a deteriorating mind. The external world often feels hostile or indifferent, mirroring the protagonist's inner turmoil. The pacing allows every detail of their suffering to resonate, creating a deeply immersive and emotionally draining experience.
These movies are connected by their shared commitment to a specific vibe: a slow-building, palpable sense of dread. They use similar tools—deliberate pacing, a dark and serious tone, and high emotional intensity—to create a cohesive feeling of psychological suffocation and bleakness.
Don't stop at just watching — explore The Machinist in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Machinist is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Read a complete plot summary of The Machinist, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
Track the full timeline of The Machinist with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of The Machinist that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Machinist: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.
Discover movies like The Machinist that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
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