the poor vicitimized upper-middle-class white man?

Rating: 1/10 (6 June 2004)

Despite the clever crafting of this film, it is basically a complain-fest about the poor upper-class privileged white male blaming all his woes on Ikea. Is this the extent of self-proclaimed victimization that is taking over American culture?
Disturbingly to any intellectuals, this movie's amorality passes itself off under the guise of reason -- as if the central character has a logic to his rage and subsequent violent decisions -- as if the poor young white businessman who's been educated well and raised in an upper middle class lifestyle with all the benefits really is some sort of victim of retail stores. Is it really proving a coherent point to blow something up? It's even more upsetting to think about this after seeing 9-11 take this film's logic into reality...is the point of this movie to say that American commercial freedom SHOULD be attacked?
With all the sexification and glamorizing of violence, and its poor-me ranting against consumer products (rather than taking responsibility for one's own commercialism or participation in it), it's hard to find a redeemable net-sum to this movie.
Ed Norton is, as always, terrific. Brad Pitt very good in this role too. And I very much appreciate the filmmaker's talent, but I wish he would use it for something that was thoughtful.