Starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton
Many superlatives can describe this ode to the punch in the face: mind-blowing, frenetic and stunning come to mind. But for each great aspect, the weight of a cluttered story drags "Fight Club" into the realm of unforgettable disappointment.
Edward Norton is Narrator, the epitome of the capitalist lemming that is realizing how unhappy his life has become. His only joy is from ordering from IKEA furniture catalogues. To cure the torture of insomnia, he finds solace in the comforts of support groups. Any support groups are fine with him, as he frequents (among others) a testicular cancer group to help him cry and gain a good night's sleep.
That sleep is cut short by Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter), a fellow "faker". The rage stemming from someone taking his idea sends Narrator back into sleepless pain. At his lowest point, Narrator meets Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a soap salesman (but a whole lot more) with a penchant for spouting about the problems with the self-help world of today.
Narrator comes home to see his IKEA-sponsored apartment a blazing inferno. On a last whim, Narrator calls Tyler to find a place to stay. The two get to know each other better through a playful fistfight.
The rush of energy Narrator receives changes his life completely. The guys decide to organize a group that holds ruled fistfights in the basement of a bar. Narrator comes in to work bloody and beaten from his once-a-week purge, without thought to the consequences. The duo's ideas sweep the nation, with similar groups in other major cities.
The rest of the movie deals with Norton's character dealing with the sporadic appearances of Marla and trying not to get too involved in the dangerously spiraling club. The members start to get involved in general anarchy around the town with even bigger things being concocted.
It is impossible to think of anyone else in the role of Narrator. Edward Norton is simply amazing in his portrayal of the corporate lackey turned eager beaver for knuckle sandwiches. He squeezes the last drop out of his role, the most an actor can do. The rest of the cast is not bad either. Pitt plays the anarchist philosopher very well, with equal amounts insanity and lunacy. The two actors have a good chemistry that comes across well.
Eventually, chemistry cannot keep "Fight Club" from failing as a whole. The story cannot keep the balance of dark humor and nihilist philosophy in check. Every time that you think you can rationalize what is happening in the film, a major change makes the viewer disoriented and confused. While some stories are masterpieces for their intricate tales, "Fight Club" is a complicated puzzle that, even allowing for the handful of missing pieces, is an ugly picture when finally pieced together.
This is not to say that the movie does not have potential. The concept is actually quite intriguing. But when two people are wrestling around and someone catches an elbow to the nose, the fun is turned to anger. Why couldn't they keep up the black humor director David Fincher throws in heartily into the first few scenes? Why does the story turn confusing just when it starts to be fun to watch? Why do we have to ask why?
True, you may have never seen anything like it, but the waste of potential is too much to ignore - like a punch to the face.
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