Dazzling, Gritty Drama Not For Everyone

by Jason R. Hewlett

Four years ago director David Fincher and star Brad Pitt teamed up for the dark, disturbing movie "Se7en" and blew audiences away by combining powerful drama with disturbing imagery. One left the theatre feeling shell-shocked and drained by the film's content and shocking conclusion. Now they've reteamed, along with the talented Edward Norton and Helena Bonham-Carter, for another trip into the abyss with the new movie "Fight Club." The results are so original, so bleak, and so thought-provoking that I'm not even sure where to begin.

How's this for the premise in a simplified nutshell? You are not your job. You are not how much you have in the bank. You are not the contents of your wallet. You are not your khakis. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. What happens first is you can't sleep. What happens then is there's a gun in your mouth. And what happens next is you meet Tyler Durden. Let me tell you about Tyler. He had a plan. In Tyler we trusted. Tyler says the things you own, end up owning you. It's only after you've lost everything that you're free to do anything. Fight Club represents that kind of freedom. First rule of Fight Club: You do not talk about Fight Club. Second rule of Fight Club: You do not talk about Fight Club. Tyler says self-improvement is masturbation. Tyler says self-destruction might be the answer.

If that all sounds a little vague and arty then we're off to a pretty good start. This is not a standard Hollywood fable with a linear plot and tidy ending. This is a movie with something to say and an unpleasant way to say it. Even what it has to say may not necessarily be what you want to hear. How you view your life, your experiences, and what you've learned about yourself will determine whether or not you enjoy "Fight Club" and it's message of self improvement through self destruction. Having done a little of that myself, I related somewhat to the characters in the movie and sat riveted for the film's two hours and thirty minute running time.

On a technical level the film is flawless. David Fincher pulls out all the stops in bringing Jim Uhls comically nihilistic screenplay to life. The world that we see is dimly lit and falling apart, just like the people who populate it. The fights that occur are brutal and bloody and will disturb even the most desensitized viewer. The black comedy is as morbidly true as it is funny. The camera moves about with hyper energy and helps to lend the film an appropriately surreal feel. As for the cast: flawless performances all around.. Pitt, Norton, and Bonham-Carter have never been better.

If you are easily disturbed or have a weak stomach or are not one to enjoy a movie that leaves as many unanswered questions as life does then don't go see "Fight Club." I have to (for once) join many of my fellow critics in saying that this film will be the defining piece of work for a generation and the perfect movie for the new millennium. Having sat through two viewing and spent a few nights awake thinking about it I rank "Fight Club" the best movie of the year. I definitely haven't figured it all out yet, and I may never will...but that's fine with me. I still haven't figured out life either.

10 out of 10!