Brilliant, one of the years best films

Rating: 9/10 (16 October 1999)

Notice I didn't say 'one of the years best movies.' This isn't a Brad Pitt movie, this is a brilliant piece of work. It isn't for everyone(there were several walk outs at a recent showing I attended) and that can be attributed to the grisly violence that is portrayed. Yes, it is bloody and yes, it is graphic. But, I don't think that is the point that the film is trying to get across. The first hour is rampant with rich, satirical humor, and I admit that I did laugh. By the last half, the tone had shifted to be very, very dark. Edward Norton, I think, is one of the best actors of the 90s--he becomes his characters, shows their weaknesses, etc. Here, he is great as the Narrator. [...]. Brad Pitt, who I don't like much as an actor, finally gives a performance worthy of calling him a thespian. His Tyler Durden is flamboyant, mysterious, self-serving, and, as we learn, very dangerous and vital to the plot. Helena Bonham Carter is fantastic in a very different role--this is far from her British period-piece roles. The film is often brutal in how it is portrayed. One factor that I was disturbed by was the message of the film, which dealt with anarchy and nihilism and that violence is an outlet for frustration. Fight Club is a '90s masterpiece and deserves to join Eyes Wide Shut, The Sixth Sense, Tarzan, October Sky, The Blair Witch Project, and American Beauty as one of the years best films. 4 out of 4 stars.