Best Film of 1999

Rating: Null/10 (19 March 2001)

This is the kind of movie that you will either love because you 'get it' or hate because you don't want to face up to the truth. It's a dark comedy. It's supposed to be FUNNY. To all of the naysayers out there who put this film down because of its violence...look closer. (There's my jab at American Beauty...more later.) This movie isn't about fighting or violence. This movie is about the emptiness in our culture and how one man chose to deal with it.
Brad Pitt and Edward Norton give phenomenal performances. (Actually, I never cared for Pitt before this, but he is a great Tyler Durden.) The thing that I really liked is that this movie stays true to the book. I almost like it better than the book, which is a rarity for me. The scenes that were changed (i.e. Jack and Tyler's initial meeting) were done extremely well.
I saw this movie once in the theatres, three times in hotel rooms (I travel a lot for work and was dying for the DVD to come out!), and bought the DVD on June 6, the day it came out. (And trust me, buy the DVD. It's a great package and the commentary is wonderful.) God, I even bought the press kit on eBay.
This movie isn't for everyone, that's for sure. Most people will either hate it or not get it. I, however, think this is one of the most brilliant films ever made. The thing is, American Beauty got all this hoopla and acclaim and Fight Club got, for the most part, panned, and they have the exact same theme. (Think about it.) Lester could've been Jack in twenty years. (You know, married Marla, she got a real estate license, then all of a sudden he feels empty again.) Personally, I'll take the violence in Fight Club over the sicko crush on daughter's friend in American Beauty any day of the week, but that's just me.
I don't find the violence to be that disturbing in Fight Club. It's fighting. We've all seen it. I wouldn't even rate it as one of the more violent movies I've ever seen. (The Cell wins that prize.) I think that people were more upset with the content of Fight Club, but had to blame their distaste on something and chose the violence.
Anyway, it kills me that this movie wasn't better received and that it was basically ignored at the Academy Awards. Where was that Best Adapted Screenplay nomination? What about cinematography? What about directing? Acting? Anything? Then again, I can't remember the last time the Academy chose a Best Picture that I agreed with.
Watch this movie. Hey, I made my mom watch it and she loved it. (She said "I thought this was about fighting. It's not at all.") At least give it a chance. And keep an open mind.