The Plot:
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. (From Yahoo Movies)
My Thoughts: (Reviewed by K-Billy)
Directed by the wonderful David Fincher, Fight Club, is the story of the narrator (Edward Norton). An insomniac who spends his time going to support groups so that he can feel some sort of emotional release. For this is what he needs. He is a addicted. Along the way another so called tourist of the support groups comes along. Her name is Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter). Marla ruins it for Jack. If she’s there then he cannot feel the release he needs to experience sleep. It is from this moment on that Jack’s life is turned upside down. For this is when he meets Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a slippery soap salesman who’s high on living life in an unpredictable manner and despises all forms of conformity. Tyler intrigues the narrator and after his apartment is destroyed he goes to live with Tyler. The two slowly begin to realize that they are missing something in their lives. They are missing a part of the experience. This is when the two begin to fight. Through their pain they live more fully then they ever could’ve imagined. Fight Club is born. The two continue to recruit members for an underground Fight Club. A place were men go to beat each other senseless in a primal release of anger and frustration. However, Fight Club is too popular, at least for the narrator. But for Tyler it’s only the beginning. Slowly but surely Tyler takes Fight Club national and it evolves into Project Mayhem. A highly organized terrorist group. The narrator realizes that he has to stop Tyler to save himself and most of all to save Marla.
Every once in a long time you see a film that reaffirms your love for cinema. This is what Fight Club did for me. I watch quite a bit of films, almost an unsettling amount and this is hands down one of the best films I have ever seen in my years on this earth. David Fincher has assured himself a spot on the list of my favorite directors of all time. The projects that he chooses to take on are some of the most interesting and intelligent films that you are ever likely to watch. Fight Club is adapted from a book of the same name. And it is one of the most intriguing stories you will ever read. A dangerous study of fascism and non conformity that leads to violence and terrorism. I challenge you to find a film that actually improves on the book and takes the stories to new levels. This is done because of one simple thing …. acting.
I have said that Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (*****) is my favorite performance of all time. This is true, but in a very close second is Brad Pitt’s vision of Tyler Durden. I truly believe that while he may be discredited sometimes because of his good looks that Brad Pitt is one of the greatest actors of our time. He showcases range in such films as Se7en (*****), 12 Monkeys, and Kalifornia. Here in Fight Club his talent explodes all over the screen. His performance is so layered and genius that you forget for that two hours or so that you are watching a professional liar reading lines from a script while being paid many millions of dollars. In a way that’s the irony of this movie. It’s all about living simply, being true to yourself and not becoming a whore for the advertisers and corporations to toy with. Yet at the end of the day you are watching a major studio, highly stylized film with famous actors whose faces are plastered in ads, billboards, and tabloids all over the world. This is part of what makes it so great. Of course the movie could not be carried on the strength of Brad Pitt alone, although sometimes I think it probably could. However we really get a gift in the form of Edward Norton. It’s not enough to have Pitt’s electrifying portrayal of Durden. For then you have the narrator. Acted to perfection by the immensely talented Norton, who brings insight, intelligence, and depth to a character who has no name. But in a way he needs no name, he represents all people. Their wants, desires, fears, needs. It’s amazing. And of course with two amazing leads why not have a great supporting role. Helena Bonham Carter plays the chain smoking, sometimes dramatic, and always unsettling Marla Singer. A character as interesting as any you are likely to see. It’s really something amazing to see this type of talent come together in such a way.
The direction of this film is superb. David Fincher can make anything out of nothing and manages to do so in various strange ways. Who else would think to make a zoom out shot of what’s in a garbage can in an office building. His style of directing can sometimes be frantic but that’s what makes it great, for it perfectly compliments the mood of the film. The real beauty is in the cinematography. The colors and lighting in this movie are out of this world. The crazy colors of the outfits and the environments perfectly come together in this film. Saturate the colors in your television until they’re bleeding through to witness the beauty of the cinematography.
It’s almost
too much to take in during one sitting. I myself had to watch the film two times
before I fully understand what was going on and what made it as great as it
is. And trust me it is. This film is probably one of the best acted all around
that I’ve ever seen. It’s manages to be so hilarious, so cynical,
yet terrifying and disturbing in it’s message. It’s message of violence
and the power that one has over others. And with an ending that probably ranks
number two on my list of all time bests there is absolutely no way that you
can go wrong. Simply see this movie and be amazed at the wonder that is film.
Starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, and Jared Leto
Directed By David Fincher
Rated R