Possibly Fincher's finest

Rating: 8/10 (2 September 2013)

David Fincher's "Fight Club" is based on the novel of the same name by literary provocateur Chuck Palahniuk. It tells the story of an insomniac office worker (Edward Norton) who befriends a rebellious soap manufacturer (Brad Pitt). Together they form the titular 'fight club', an outlet for male aggression that evolves into a network of men with an anarchic agenda.
One of the film's strong points is the adapted screenplay by Jim Uhls, which unfortunately went unnoticed at Oscar time. The script isn't exactly what you'd call conventional but Uhls managed to make it comprehensible without robbing the story of its depth. The ending might be a bit questionable but, overall, the plot is continually engrossing and unpredictable.
David Fincher's direction is expertly handled, as always. The movie looks attractive from beginning to end and the concealment of the big twist holds up pretty well even in retrospect. In the music department, the soundtrack by the Dust Brothers is sometimes striking but is ultimately overshadowed by the use of the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind" over the closing credits.
The film's two stars, Edward Norton & Brad Pitt, both delivered fine performances but I think I'd give the edge to Norton if only because his role was the more challenging of the two. Helena Bonham Carter made a pretty good pair with Norton, though she's an actress whom I'm not particularly fond of. In support, the only real standout is Meat Loaf, of all people.
Ultimately, "Fight Club" isn't quite perfect but I still think that it's one of the most interesting films of the 90's. The fact that it currently occupies the #10 spot in the IMDb top 250 is a bit of a surprise since I'd expect this to be exactly the type of movie that divides audiences. In any case, it's definitely worth watching, though it should be noted that the film's appeal is probably greatest for young males.