Fight Club (2002, VHS)

Ah Fight Club. I thought it was about time to write a review on one of the best movies ever released and now it s the time. Ever since 1999 when it came out I had been hearing from everyone how good this movie was, but in my eyes it looked a little uninteresting. That was, until I finally viewed it during the summer. Ever since then I have proclaimed it one of my favorite movies ever made and for good reasons. The story draws you into the characters with the interesting tale and the acting provided by Brad Pitt and Edward Norton is nothing short of extraordinary.

Fight Club revolves around a white-collar insomniac who one day meets a soap salesman and the two instantly become friends through a common interesting: beating the hell out of one another. This little hobby of theirs gets them to start a club (hence the name of the movie), but when a mysterious young woman comes into their lives, their friendship starts to take on a whole new meaning.

At its core, the movie is a brawl film full of violence and hand-to-hand fighting, but if you really take some more looks you ll see it s a psychological thriller full of intensity and suspense. The term drama really reaches new standards when it comes to the two leads Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. These two actors really go hand in hand with one another. Not only do these guys offer great performances, but they suit each other perfectly on screen.

Norton, who I ve loved since watching Death to Smootchy and the amazing American History X plays the white-collar uptight guy and you re pretty much looking through his eyes the whole movie; from his point of view. The screenplay was based on Chuck Palahniuk s great novel and stays pretty true to the original formula. Norton s character has everything bottled up while his friend wears his emotions on his sleeves. This leads to many situations that are incredible to see.

As for Pitt, he also gives an Oscar-winning performance. Having worked on some of my other favorite movies like Kalifornia, Seven, and Snatch he knows what he s doing, but while watching the movie you could tell that he really opened his wings. His acting was restricted and you really got to see a brilliant and angry side of Pitt that you ve never seen before. The beautiful Helena Bonham Carter also rounds out the cast and while she gives a good performance, he character wasn t really carved out enough. She was sort of flat and lifeless. You didn t see where she was coming from and that bogged down some of her scenes.

The story may sound simple, but through the 139 minutes of the flick the simplicity pretty much disappears. The cinematography and scenery can become dark and the story soon follows with disturbing themes and a cult-backdrop. By the final frame after the whole movie has blossomed and you finally understand all of the small details then you will truly open your eyes and see just how magnificent the film is. The beautiful shots provided by David Fincher with the excellent adaptation by Jim Uhls really make the movie you ll never forget. The dialogue between Norton and Pitt is unforgettable and this is one of the things that will draw you into the plot much more.

In case I haven t spelled it out for you enough, all I can say is that Fight Club is one of the best movies I have ever seen. Who would ve thought that a nobody-until-1998 like Norton and the pothead from True Romance would ever make a movie together nonetheless one that meant great importance at the end of the millennium? Fight Club is a perfect movie to watch at the end of the week when you re winding down because it has a great storyline and wonderful acting. If you re a fan of Pitt or Norton then you owe it to yourself to see this flick because it s one of the new classics.

Jason Haskins, 2004

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