The Machine wants us to assume many unlikely things, with Bert Kreischer’s global fame being the most improbable. It also wants to be both high stakes as we follow Bert and his father (Mark Hamill) being chased by the mafia and comedic as they make lighthearted jokes along the way. But it never really achieves that balance. Though it looks sleek and high-budgeted, its contents are lopsided and messy, not once hitting the mark on its many targets. Moreover, it's based on a premise so thin, that it loses all credibility midway through the film. After that, it simply becomes a parody of itself. To be sure, there are some noteworthy moments in between, like when Kreischer and Hamill share genuine father-and-son moments, but for the most part, it’s just too overbearing to warrant anyone’s attention.
Synopsis
Bert Kreischer faces a familial crisis and the arrival of his estranged father when the ghost of his booze-soaked past arrives: a murderous mobster hellbent on kidnapping Bert back to the motherland to atone for his crimes. Together, he and his father must retrace the steps of his younger self in the midst of a war between a sociopathic crime family while they attempt to find common ground.
Storyline
Based on a true story stand-up routine, The Machine follows a fictionalized version of comedian Bert Kreischer as gets swept up in the Russian mob for something his younger self, played by Jimmy Tatro, did years ago in Moscow as an exchange student.
TLDR
You don’t often see a single anecdotal joke being stretched into a feature-length movie, and The Machine is probably why.
What stands out
This may be Kreischer’s life story, but it’s Tatro who shines. Not only does he uncannily look the part, he also evokes the energy and charisma that Kreischer should and probably used to have. Tatro injects the film with the freshness it needs, and after gaining similar success in comedic wonders like Theater Camp and The King of Staten Island, it’s safe to assume that he’s going places.