The obvious litmus test for whether or not one will enjoy The Machine is one’s tolerance for Bert Kreischer’s comedic style. Burt’s sharp-tongued confession is polarizing among stand-up comedy fans, but those who decried him won’t change their minds after this movie. Those who find him hilarious have already bought their tickets, and they’ll get what they paid for and more.
Director Peter Atencio specializes in working with comedians. His primary accomplishment was directing every episode of the endearing sketch comedy series Key & Peele. The film was written by Kevin Beagle, best known for co-producing Cougar Town, and Scotty Landes, who turned in the screenplay for Blumhouse’s Ma. The project technically began when Legendary Entertainment picked up the rights to Krasher’s classic routine in 2019.
At this point the legend of Bert Kreischer is accepted into stand-up comedy lore. Kreischer was a sixth-year undergraduate at Florida State University in the late ’90s, right when the school was celebrated for its party scene. In the same year, he was personally presented with the same honor by Rolling Stone. Director Oliver Stone was set to make a film on Kreischer’s life, but that project failed, ultimately giving the world Van Wilder. In 2016, Kreischer’s stand-up career was well underway when he released the Showtime special that would define his career. The story of his entanglement with the Russian mob went viral, catapulting his career to new heights. A few decades ago, a network would have offered him a sitcom that would probably have been canceled after three seasons. In modern Hollywood, they assigned him The Machine.
The machine depicts Bert Kreischer as a fictional version of himself twenty years after his ill-fated class trip to Russia. His relationship with his oldest daughter is strained after a public disaster. Burt takes a break from acting and begins seeing a therapist to heal himself, but his road to recovery hits a roadblock at his daughter’s sweet sixteen party. A dangerous Russian mobster named Irina suddenly arrives, demanding an item stolen by Burt twenty years ago. Since Burt has no idea where his treasure is hidden, Irina will drag Burt and his father across Russia to remind him of it. Also, Burt must come to terms with his past, learn to reconnect with his father, and contain the machine inside him.
The machine is not pretending to be anything it is not. The plot is a bit choppy to leave room for punchlines, shootouts and family drama. The action is surprisingly enjoyable for a film directed almost entirely by newcomers to the genre. As expected, Kreischer is a master at playing himself. He doesn’t sell every emotional beat, but those who enjoy his unfiltered personality will find a lot of his authentic self in the role. He also gets at least one Jackie Chan-esque comedic fight scene that works very well. Jimmy Tatro of American Vandal fame is note-perfect as young Bert. This may be the role he was born to play. Mark Hamill is great as Albert Sr. He only gets to break out of the vocal booth and rob JD on occasion, so it’s hard to miss what a good performer he is. Eva Babić as Irina may be the film’s secret weapon. She’s intimidating, funny, and compelling in action sequences, her motivation is the driving force of most of the narrative, and she’s often the most engaging person in the film alongside Mark Hamill. Here’s hoping this film launches Bebik to stardom somewhere. The cast is just one of the many ways in which The Machine outperforms any reasonable expectation.
It all comes back to Burt. There are some interesting thematic elements in The Machine as it relates to the eponymous artist. His relationship with his wife, children and the image of himself are clearly altered to fit the narrative, but the sharp edges of the truth are visible in the script. Kresher has been accused of falsifying his stand-up stories. The film addresses that concern directly with its frequent undermining of his father in the first act, then spends the rest of the film playing him in vivid detail. In fact, the idea that Krasher is a creatively bankrupt artist is brought up in flashback sequences. Most of young Burt’s gags are shameless references to popular American films that haven’t reached Russia yet. The playful sexism of Kreischer’s many jokes is played against Irina’s story in which Dozens is taken seriously. All these daggers are designed as fun and obstacles. It’s as if Burtt was convinced he’d only get a chance to make one film, so he addressed every concern he could think of in that 112-minute feature. The Machine isn’t just a movie for fans. There’s something for the haters too.
The machine is much better than needed. Anyone could have done a feature-length dramatization of an original stand-up routine, but this film combines that idea with a stronger exploration of Kreacher’s career and public image. There are one or two recurring gags that don’t work, but it hits more times than it misses. Throw in some excellent performances, some unique action cinematography, and a lot of heart, and The Machine has earned its title.
