Ten years from now, this will be called a masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (25 April 2001)

If there was any film made in the 90's that will go on to cult status it will be "Fight Club". Though it recieved mixed reviews and didn't really do anything special at the box office, every single one of my friends agree it is one of their favorites of all time. I think everyone at my school loves the movie.
For me, violence is not a big deal. I am the first one to admit I am decensatized to violence, so this film really wasn't at all a big deal in terms of violence. People would complain that it made it seem cool to go out and beat the s--t out of your friends because it will "set you free". Me and my friends get in fist fights all the time, we enjoy kicking the crap out of each other. To me, when the fight is over, I feel great. Call me sick if you want, but I feel relieved after a fight.
One thing that took this film up a notch was the acting. Of course there is Edward Norton, who I have yet to see in a bad film doing a bad job with the role. But for me, Brad Pitt takes the gold. Pitt has always been one of my favorite actors. I think one reason I like him so much is because he is called a "pretty boy", but he has never really done a "pretty boy" role. He can actually act. His portrayal of Tyler Durdan is so amazing, he deserved more recognition than he got.
For a film that is called "Fight Club", they don't really spend a great deal of time invested in the clubs. I think most of the film focused more on Edward Nortan's insomnia, and then focused on "Project Mayhem". But believe me, "Fight Club" is a better title.
David Fincher is a director that really has a huge future ahead of him. His direction is so detailed and organized it's scary. On the DVD commentary with Brad Pitt, Ed Nortan, and Helena Bonham Carter, Fincher says of this one scene with Ed and Helena walking down the sidewalk for 30 seconds, "Yeah, I think we did this shot about 27 times". He is very picky and wants perfection (much like the late-great Kubric).
I'll admit that I was confused a little at the end. But once you figure it out, the second viewing is so much better. Roger Ebert calls it "the Keysor Soze Syndrom" to add a suprise ending that changes everything about the entire film. I'm happy it went with a ending like this. Several reasons are one, it keeps it interesting, two, it makes the film even more unique than it already is, and three, how else would you end it(?). Seriously, I don't think I would have loved it as much with a different ending.
Overall, this will be the leading cult film of the 90's. Just look at how "A Clockwork Orange" is today, classic. 10/10