An amazing film that breaks many boundaries

Rating: 10/10 (10 July 2001)

Fight Club is a film I went to see reluctantly in the cinema. I actually quite enjoy martial arts films done well but out-and-out macho celebrations (Rambo etc) leave me dry. It was only nudges from other people that persuaded me to try it shortly before the end of it's screen run...
And how wrong I was. Fight Club is a deep, complicated (the film basically cannot be understood the first time you see it) exploration of alienation and identity of one individual in particular. It is packed with dense, clever dialogue - and a dry, witty narration fills the gaps between the agruments, speackes and face offs. The film runs 2h20m but has more freeze-frame detail than The Simpsons.
The real theme of Fight Club is being unhappy in life, and exploring alternatives to an empty existence. The central character (played Edward Norton) both stars and narrates as one such individual, who's life is turned around when he meets the charismatic, assertive soad salesman Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) who leads him, and others, on a mission to "hit the bottom". The first of these is the titualar Fight Club, which is more about giving and (in particular) revieving pain than winning. The narrator's spiral is complemented by the depressive Marla Singer (Helena Bonham-Carter), and the three become entwined in a _very_ complicated relationship.
It's hard to talk about the themes in Fight Club without spoiling it, but I would recommend it to anyone capable of absorbing ideas or observations critically (i.e. without big "this is right/wrong" signs over it) and the violent scenes, although rare, are realistic (no martial arts/superhero stuff, just knuckes & blood) so the feint harted should stay away.
The film will change your life. You may not quit your job or get in a fight, but you will never use expensive soap or take electrical goods on a plane. And you will ALWAYS worry about your sleep paterns.