A very unique and caustic take on Yuppie burnout.

Rating: 8/10 (17 October 1999)

This was one of top 10 most anticipated movies of 1999 and it didn't let me down. Director David Fincher is at the top of his game for the third in a row with this violent satire of modern life. The movie is based on a first novel by Chuck Palahniuk. I read his 2nd novel, Survivor, and based on that reading I heard a lot of the author's voice in Fight Club. Palahniuk has a really unique nihlistic world view. Imagine if Alex from Clockwork Orange became a writer then you'd have this guy. Fight Club benefits greatly from Jim Uhls adapted screenplay. It doesn't have gallows humor, it gallows hilarity. David Fincher pulls back from the overt stylism that set Seven and The Game so far apart from other movies to service a story and script that matches him. The movie has style to burn, but it is never immolated by it. Edward Norton is flat out excellent in the lead as the guy who finds salvation in pain. His escape from enervation and ennui is exhilarating and frightening in a funny sort of way. His doppelganger is played by Brad Pitt who really relishes these kind of dark roles and excels in them. Finally there is Helena Bonham Carter who is the tart from Hell and sizzles like frying bacon. This is very strong stuff and I won't blame anybody for hating it. It does drag somewhat in the 2nd half. If you are in the mood for straight shots of tequila and want a movie to match you can't go wrong with this movie.