Oops. Fincher did it again.

Rating: 10/10 (11 February 2001)

People are always asking me if I know Tyler Durden. It's not that we look alike, or anything-- it's just that the very idea behind the existence of Mr. Durden is one of angst, of loss, of mass confusion of what exactly Males are supposed to be as we enter the 21st century. For thousands, or tens of thousands of years, we were hunters, fierce warriors who stalked and killed our prey to feed our families and tribes; we fought for and defended our families, our communities, our ways of life. These days, we stay up late watching infomercials, and spend time abusing the copy machine at work. Ain't progress grand?
Hollywood makes movies that appeal to the largest common denominator, and clearly this movie is not for everyone. (Though in 40 years, it might be-- Hitchcock movies bombed in their own decades, too. Figure that one out). But ideally, it appeals to those of us who are lost, those of us who didn't even know how bad things had gotten-- how good it can be for the soul to just punch someone in the face every now and then.
HOWEVER-- that doesn't mean punching someone is right. This User Comment, and this film, do not advocate violence. But the idea behind it, we are told, is something worth just thinking about... so we may factor it into our lives, and our future, to know ourselves and form a conclusion based on the whole, not by denying Who We Are. If you prefer your movies idea-free, then back off this one and go rent "Navy SEALS." I hear Charlie Sheen is very good in that.
Here, knock-you-OUT performances from Brad "I'm so pretty they'll never give me an Oscar, but they SHOULD" Pitt, and the just as perfectly cast Edward "I transcend your foolish award system" Norton. Stimulated with conversation, this movie should hopefully affect you in positive ways, to at least make you think about what it's trying to say, whether you agree with it or not. Some parts are hilarious. Some parts are difficult to watch. I hope you can say the same about your own life.
And then Kenneth Turan of the L.A. Times writes, "... a witless mishmash of whiny, infantile philosophizing and bone-crunching violence that actually thinks it's saying something of significance." It is saying something significant, Kenneth, to everyone except you. And with your cushy little high-paying job as a FILM CRITIC, I guess you don't have any reason to find fault with your life, do you? Is that what a man looks like?
We look forward to your return, Mr. Durden.
10/10