Black comedy at its finest.

Rating: 9/10 (13 August 2003)

I find many 'narrated' films rather irritating, but this was superb and *really* entertaining. The initial situation, involving Edward Norton's character and the way he meets the slightly odd Marla (Helena Bonham Carter) is hilarious. The arrival in his life of the mysterious and manipulative Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) is a roller-coaster of fascination, disbelief and horror; Norton's narrator is utterly seduced by the hypnotic Durden and his testosterone fuelled Bolshevism, climaxing in a fabulous twist and a spectacularly audacious final scene.
The performances? Brad Pitt (Tyler Durden). I'll be so glad when I stop seeing "Hey, Brad Pitt can really act!" comments. Yes, he's beautiful, but that doesn't preclude his being good at his job. He is superb here; perfect casting of a exceptional actor giving an amazing performance. Doubters; stop thinking 'It's Brad Pitt' and just watch. Helena Bonham Carter is warm and very watchable as the neurotic, chain-smoking Marla Singer. Sadly, her character is reduced to 'flounce in, pout, flounce out' for most of the film. Edward Norton (The Narrator) gives a good, solid turn as the disoriented insomniac, but for reasons I find hard to define, the performance doesn't get out of the monochrome for me. Didn't spoil the film one iota, though. One of the best I've seen all year, and one of the finest black comedies I've ever seen.