Powerful and raw film despite its flaws.

Rating: 7/10 (7 January 2009)

This is a film that once had a massive impact on me, a film I used to consider perfect. It achieves many tones with a very well developed protagonist, giving us many situations in when we hate him and what he's done and then sympathize with him. Edward Norton deals with this transition with perfection and makes it 100% believable (even if it takes a rape to do it). The use of flashbacks is effective, and it helps that they are clearly separate (though a cause of the consequence because the actual retelling of the film is set within around 24 hours - this stretch gives us a value of time and helps us re-evaluate the characters). Furlong is equally as powerful giving his only notable performance besides Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Despite the strength of the film within itself in the narrative, the actual message is thin. Not weak, but thin. It seems to blurt out the message at every opportunity, giving almost a before and after of his thoughts in his behaviour. However, the protagonist preaches about racism, it's effected his whole life, but when he encounters a black person face to face on his own his reaction is calmed down and he seems to want to just leave and not take action; which contradicts his feelings. I must admit, there is not a moment in this film that I would give the label "entertaining", despite how often engaging it is. Which also makes it boring every time it stops being engaging. The end is the source of the emotional punch which almost alters the films' (or the characters') point and feels rather forced. The fact Tony Kaye actually wanted to disown the film limits my respect for it.
7/10