Taglines: To be a hero, it takes a lot of gut.
The Machine movie storyline. In 1999, college freshman Bert Kreischer goes on a trip to Russia. During a night of hard partying, Bert befriends a tour guide named Igor along with his friends and becomes “The Machine,” a legend in Russian folklore.
Twenty-three years later, Bert is now a stand-up comedian and podcaster, having turned his story into a comedy special that goes viral on YouTube. Bert is in a tense relationship with his wife and elder daughter Sasha. While at a family cookout, Bert is unexpectedly reunited with his estranged father Albert, despite their tense relationship.
Bert is then confronted by Irina, a Russian mobster. It’s soon revealed that Bert inadvertently stole an antique pocket watch belonging to Irina’s father, an act which led to the start of his own organized crime syndicate. Seeking revenge, Irina kidnaps Bert, along with his father, with the intention of punishing Bert for his wrongdoings, upon arrival in Russia.
The Machine is a 2023 American action comedy film directed by Peter Atencio, inspired by the 2016 stand-up routine of the same name created by Bert Kreischer. The film stars Kreischer as a fictionalized version of himself, with Mark Hamill, Jimmy Tatro, Iva Babić, Stephanie Kurtzuba and Jessica Gabor.
Following its viral success, Legendary Entertainment acquired the rights of Kreischer’s true story stand-up routine into a feature film adaptation in September 2018. Most of the lead cast members were hired from April to June 2021. Filming began in Serbia in April 2021 through Balkanic Media. The Machine was released in the United States on May 26, 2023, by Sony Pictures Releasing.
The Machine (2023)
Directed by: Peter Atencio
Starring: Bert Kreischer, Mark Hamill, Jimmy Tatro, Iva Babić, Robert Maaser, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Martyn Ford, Jessica Gabor, Rita Bernard Shaw, Nikola Đuričko, Oleg Taktarov, Amelie Villiers
Screenplay by: Kevin Biegel, Scotty Landes
Production Design by: Aaron Osborne
Cinematography by: Eigil Bryld
Film Editing by: Eleanor Infante
Costume Design by: Ivana Vasic
Set Decoration by: Mina Buric
Art Direction by: Sanja Bulat, Jovana Mihajlovic, Bojana Nikolic
Music by: Joseph Trapanese
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, pervasive language, drug use and some sexual references.
Distributed by: Sony ScreenGems
Release Date: May 26, 2023
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