A Simple Machine (2026)
SHOULD I SEE IT?
YES
A thoughtful, emotionally resonant exploration of consumerism, financial insecurity, and generational uncertainty.
Gorgeous black-and-white cinematography and inventive editing elevate the storytelling.
Richard Blackmon delivers a wonderfully understated, sympathetic performance.
NO
Nick's increasingly extreme decisions can be frustrating to the viewers, even when his motivations are understandable.
The deliberately subdued pacing may challenge viewers looking for a more conventional narrative.
Some supporting relationships, particularly Nick's relationship with his mother, could benefit from additional development.
OUR REVIEW
“The cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life, which is required to be exchanged for it.”
Those words from Henry David Thoreau open A Simple Machine, the impressive narrative directorial debut from Mark Alan Hoffman, adapted from Evan Schneider's 2011 novel. The quote also establishes the foundation for a thoughtful and visually striking film about consumerism, financial insecurity, and the increasingly overwhelming expectations placed upon a generation struggling to find its footing.
Early in the film, Nick (Richard Blackmon) offers a rather sobering observation: Things aren't always worth the price you pay for them. Having traded his interests in drawing and mathematics for a college degree in creative marketing strategy, Nick finds himself approximately $100,000 in debt, uncertain about his future, and questioning whether the path he has followed will ever lead somewhere meaningful.
For an entire generation of young adults, the traditional goals and ideals of the so-called “American Dream” seem increasingly unattainable. Homeownership, financial security, and the possibility of raising a family seem almost impossibly out of reach for people struggling to afford rent and basic necessities. Like Nick, they work, pay their bills, and do their best to move forward, even as the world seems to surge forward around them. Caught in the riptide of simply trying to survive, what exactly are they supposed to do?
For Nick, the answer is to shed his skin and restart his life.
His car. His apartment. His possessions. One by one, Nick begins stripping away the material things that have anchored him to a life he no longer wants. He seeks to free himself from the anxiety and stress that come with his material possessions. Yet, as he lets more and more things go, he discovers that removing possessions doesn't necessarily resolve the emotional connections that are vital to keeping us alive.
Nick's relationship with Marie (Gabriela Quezada) provides the film with perhaps the most significant emotional stakes. She loves him, and he clearly loves her, but their visions of the future are beginning to split apart. Marie wants to move forward, find an apartment, and build a life together. Nick, meanwhile, is increasingly consumed by the idea of dismantling nearly everything he has.
There's an interesting contradiction here. Nick is searching for a more grounded life, yet those pursuits of simplicity require him to conceal certain details from Marie.
Blackmon, in a wonderfully understated performance, makes Nick quite the sympathetic character, even when his decisions can heighten frustration among those around him. His subdued, almost whispery delivery reflects a young man overwhelmed by the expectations placed upon him. He's cautious, uncertain, and seemingly exhausted by the demands of everyday life. His ongoing narration never complicates our viewing experience. Instead, it underscores the thought process that he works through as he divests himself of everyday wants and needs.
These moments, and others involving the relationship Nick shares with his mother (Shannon K. Dunn) adds emotional depth to a story that could easily have become a repetitive exercise in watching someone get rid of their belongings.
Shot in gorgeous black and white by cinematographer Kevin Fletcher, A Simple Machine captures Portland, Oregon, with a visual depth that complements the film's themes. The absence of color feels particularly appropriate for a story about removing excess in our lives, leaving behind only what is most essential.
Equally impressive are the film's editing choices. Hoffman, also serving as the film’s editor, shifts between scenes with a tender rhythm and cadence, weaving together images of gas pumps, financial obligations, online loan searches, and seemingly ordinary moments that are emblematic of Nick's perspective.
When I think of my kids, both in their 20s, and consider their experiences alongside those shown in A Simple Machine, there's something understandable about shedding extraneous possessions, eliminating debt, and rejecting the pressure to have and be more. But what happens when the pursuit of freedom begins to interfere with the relationships and responsibilities that give our lives meaning?
A Simple Machine is a moving and compelling film about a young man trying to find his place in a world that simply refuses to slow down. Hoffman's confidence in telling this story, Blackmon's wonderful performance, and the film's impressive visual presentation elevate the film into a place of profound resonance.
CAST & CREW
Starring: Richard Blackmon, Gabriela Quezada, Shannon K. Dunn, Smack Louis, Brad Carter
Director: Mark Alan Hoffman
Written by: Mark Alan Hoffman
Adapted from the novel “A Simple Machine, Like the Lever” by Evan P. Schneider
Release Date: June 22, 2026
Self-distributed