Solipsism hard at work

Rating: 1/10 (8 September 2008)

It's amusing to see all the "brilliant" comments about this crap film. Fincher, a smoke and mirrors hack who is convinced that more is more, wants to sell you on the idea that we're living shallow lives. The proof's in the pudding here folks. He bashes you over the head with his "themes" like a college sophomore. He is a master of the odious, puerile 'wouldn't it be cool if this happened' school of story construction. The film is filled with desperate attempts at comedy, mostly of the gross-out, toilet variety - so no doubt the sub-20 dilettantes are enthralled - but the film is wall-to-wall form over substance. Most annoying are Fincher's pet signature moments - you'll see them in all his worthless work: mention a pilot light - and voilà, the camera flies around a stove and shows you a pilot light. Presumably he finds this is magical as he repeats it everywhere - but we know it's simply his unleashed attention whore personality being imposed where it doesn't belong. There's no need to 'spoil' the ending - it's obvious to any thinking person within the first 10 minutes what's going on. F-