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Fight Club


Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Edward Norton
Genre:
Action-Adventure
Run Time: 139
min.
Release Date:
October 1999
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
I have to admit from the beginning that I had never seen FIGHT
CLUB before 2010. Yes (hangs head in shame), I’d heard all the hype
and thought it to be just that: hype. Although I did notice that most of
the kudos came from guys, not gals, even though the well-built Brad Pitt
(INGLORIOUS
BASTERDS) was liberally smeared on cover displays along
with witty (and not unhandsome) Edward Norton (THE PAINTED VEIL). Hmm.
So I finally took the plunge and picked up a Blu-Ray copy.
Although brutal along the lines of GOODFELLAS, Fight Club is smart,
funny, and exceptionally dark. It also has at its heart a (very)
surprisingly good love story starring Helena Bonham Carter (SWEENEY
TODD). I also think this is one of Carter’s strongest roles. She is so
beyond anything I’d ever seen from her that I originally had trouble
believing it WAS her in the film.
If you can get past some of the more gory scenes, I dare say that all
viewers will be well-rewarded in the end. That’s not to say you should
dismiss the violence. Indeed, it is part-and-parcel to the entire
components of the film and its incredibly awesome story structure.
And this isn’t the first time Brad Pitt and director David Fincher
have worked together. In 1995 they did the excellent film SE7EN. If you
enjoyed that film, you’ll absolutely fall in love with this one. Fincher
loves to play mind-twists but he doesn’t do it in a heavy-handed way or
even in a directly misguiding one (unlike M. Night Shyamalan with his
groundbreaking THE SIXTH SENSE).
Although the twist towards the end was enjoyable, I was an astute
enough viewer to realize what was going on long before its reveal. Which
didn’t make the movie any less enjoyable. It was how the reveal was
pulled off that made the film so amazing.
Some of those who haven’t seen the film might want a kind of
blow-by-blow description ...and many reviews like that can easily be
found. DON’T READ THEM! They will absolutely ruin the film for you. I
have, in the past (and probably will in the future), given descriptions
of films, but not here. This one needs to be experienced without
foreknowledge. Kind of like a surprise punch to the face...
(back to top) |
Image from Fight Club

DVD cost: $24.98
Purchase:
Tower.com (Blu-Ray)
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Starbucks pulled their
name from the coffee shop destruction scene. They didn't mind the
director placing their product throughout the film, but did not want
their name to be destroyed in that scene. Therefore, the gold globe
crashes into a shop named Gratifico Coffee.
Movie Quote: "This
is Bob. Bob had bitch tits."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Fight Club
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