Brilliant in many ways

Rating: 9/10 (6 January 2000)

"Fight Club" is a great film. It's the first film by David Fincher where I have left the cinema feeling rather uplifted and happy, and it's the first film by Fincher that I think is really, really good. It starts right at the opening credits: it's probably the best opening credits I have ever seen (yes, better than Se7en's).
I had read Chuck Palahniuk's novel a couple of times before I saw the film and I like it (the novel) even if it's far from a masterpiece. Even though I like the book, the film is absolutely brilliant in its own right. Jim Uhls's script is fantastic. The comedy is also great, it's been a long time since I've laughed this much during a film. The cinematography is great, the music is perfect for the film, the dialogue is brilliant.
The acting is, of course, top notch. Brad Pitt is often overlooked as an actor because of the famous face and the famous body. This is a shame, because I think he's a really good actor although this is the first time I think he's great. Helena Bonham Carter is, surprisingly, perfectly cast. I could see no other actress portraying Marla Singer. Meat Loaf is good as well. I could go on and on about Edward Norton, but that will probably bore you so let's just say that, even though this isn't another Aaron Stampler- or Derek Vinyard mind-blowing performance, he is an acting genius and that his performance in "Fight Club" is brilliant.
The production design is another thing that is worth mentioning as something really good. As everybody will probably realise there is a "but" here and it's coming now: there is sadly a rather boring part in the film right before the brilliant last 10-15 minutes. It lasts for about 20 minutes and it slows down the film and makes it rather unbelievable (to those who have seen the film; I'm not referring to the most apparent thing when I say that some of it is unbelievable). Well, it's such a shame because if those twenty minutes had been more concentrated or something I would without a doubt have given this film a 10 here at IMDb. As it is now, I gave it an 9 after much consideration. Very close to being *incredibly* brilliant, as it is now "Fight Club" is "only" brilliant.