Two-thirds of a good movie . . .

Rating: Null/10 (13 November 2014)

In an attempt to get to the bottom of 'Fight Club' I had a conversation with someone recently who argued that the people in this movie get into fistfights with one another as a means of expressing themselves. My rebuttal: Couldn't they sit down and have a conversation? Write a diary? Go on Springer? 'Fight Club' stars Edward Norton, one of my favorite actors who always brings a refreshing intelligence to his work. He plays a depressed urbanite who works too hard doing a job he hates and makes expensive orders from the catalogue maybe as a measure of his worth.
To us, Norton's character is known only as 'The Narrator'. He has no meaning in his life so he develops and interesting habit: he is addicted to various support groups for Alcoholics, sex addicts and one for men with testicular cancer, among others. He spots a woman named Marla (Helena Bonham Carter) who is attending some of the same meetings. He knows that she is an addict like himself but to keep the illusion real so they have to work out an alternating schedule.
On an airplane he meets Tyler Durden who has The Narrator's number right from the start. Later he turns to Tyler for help when his apartment catches fire. So, Tyler takes him into his rather grungy world. Enter Fight Club, an underground society where men get out their feelings and aggressions by beating the snot out of one another. The fight scenes in 'Fight Club' are brutal, bloody but never seem to cause permanent injury.
In trying to defend itself 'Fight Club' jumbles it's own twisted message. The idea of this club is apparently to free yourself from the rules that tie us down. I guess getting socked in the head is suppose to give you a thicker skin (but apparently not a concussion). Then the movie turns all the members of the club into a cult. What? Free your mind and then do as you are told? This is about where the movie goes to pieces. 'Fight Club' makes a twist that pulls the rug out from under what little logical reasoning the film had. The screenplay develops the insane logic of the reality of unreality .. . or something like that. Out of respect for those planning to see the movie I will say no more.
David Fincher is a director that I have a lot of hope for. This is his fourth film and the impressive, intelligent 'Se7en' showed the full power of his potential. I love the style of his films. He uses dark sets and grimy setting to set the story in motion. I was not impressed by 'Alien3' save for the amazing production design and 'The Game' was badly in need of a sense of humor. 'Fight Club' isn't his worst film because of its impressive first act. Imagine what kind of great social commentary could have come from a movie about two people addicted to 12-step programs. That is original. If I want to see people beat each other up I'll watch Jerry Springer.