Fight Club

Well I am currently done with all papers, finals and necessary functions of my school year. While there is still stuff to do in my normal day to day business, I am currently much more available and ready to write more blog posts. While I know this wasn't on my list of things I promised was going to write, I thought this was a good way to start up. Without further adieu...

It took me A LONG time to watch this movie. I went through two relationships where the girl I was dating was appalled that I hadn't seen this movie. Now that I have, I am convinced that I am now ready for actual commitment and maybe... just maybe... I'll find someone will to commit to me now. And its all because of Fight Club.

On face value, Fight Club is a really boring movie. If all you knew about Fight Club was that Edward Norton and Brad Pitt start a Fight Club, (This was all I knew before I saw it) You would probably think this movie was really boring.

But if you've seen the movie, you know, it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much more than that!

There's no good way to explain how this movie begins. The movie itself has a hard time fully figuring out when is the right time to begin.

The short synopsis of the film is that the narrator and unnamed main character suffering from insomnia, played by Edward Norton, meets the mysterious character of Tyler Durden (played by Brad Pitt). Through a series of circumstances, Norton's character ends up living with Tyler Durden and begins an underground fight club.

Unfortunately, that's really all I can say without giving too much away. All I can say is the relationship between the two main characters, Norton's character and Helena Bohnam Carter. There's just so much to say and unfortunately it gives too much awaySo in that case, I will give my quite No Spoilers review. If you haven't seen this movie, here's my review.

Go see this movie! Even if you think you know everything about this movie and feel like you don't need to see it, you need to see it!

If cinematography is your thing, this is your movie. If twists are your thing, this is your movie. If character development is your thing, this is your movie. Even if somehow none of those things appeal to you, see this movie.

There's so much that can be taken out of this script and analyzed that its just fun. The very fact the main character is unnamed means so much and its just a name.

I don't agree with all the messages this movie carries and I still love it a lot.

Overall, just go see this movie. Come back and hear everything I have to say about it.

End of spoiler-free review. Let's talk Fight Club.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The movie doesn't even begin where I said it does. It begins in the life of this unnamed character. The circumstances in which he meets Tyler Durden are just so unique and fascinating. He goes to support group meetings for things that don't apply to him. And somehow he gets feelings of belonging and fulfillment through those groups. And then that is disrupted by Marla (Helena Bohnam Carter) who goes for different reasons. Norton's character is so distraught from her presence because she's there for the very same reasons he is. And yet he criticizes her for being a faker and going to the meetings when she doesn't really need to. That's a whole story right there!

If they wanted to they could have named this movie Support Club and had it just be about the drama and psychology of a man finding solace in support groups he has no connection to.

In a way, after the first 20 minutes, you forget about the opening sequence but without it there's an essential character trait there. There's a longing or need in Norton's character that Fight Club fulfills.

Its an edge of psychology that I'm sure is full of scientific terms but in shortest explanation, its fascinating. I used to think the first 20 minutes were pointless but the more times I watch it and the more I think about it, it really is necessary.

Then enters Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). If there was ever an epitome of chaos and anarchy, its Tyler Durden. But there's a method to the chaos he ensures. Sure, Fight Club begins when Tyler tells Norton's character to hit him as hard as he can. But it becomes more than that.

Its hard to believe that out of guys beating the shit out of each other, there's a lifestyle, a philosophy of sorts but it really begins this new way of looking at things for Norton's character.

And the more you watch the movie, the more you see how essential and brilliantly done the character of Tyler Durden is integrated into the story of Fight Club.

And that brings us to the ending.

Now if you've seen the ending you know how mind blowing it can be. And that sounds really cliche to call this movie mind blowing but its really the truth. I'm actually surprised this movie isn't more popular than other movies.

In a way the movie reminds me of Memento, or the Prestige, or even Inception. It has the feeling of a Christopher Nolan story

If you've seen these movies you know they all have that certain element about them that make them fascinating. Its not just the ending but its just the way the movie is structured. Its not just the twist at the end. You may think its the ending that blew your mind, but the more you watch it, the more you realize that it was the journey that made the ending so mind blowing.

Fight Club is one of those movies.

If you're still reading this and haven't seen the movie

GO WATCH THE MOVIE

If you're still here that was my last warning.

So the ending reveals that Norton's character and Tyler Durden are the same person. Whether its a psychotic figment of his imagination or a dual personality brought on by insomnia, Tyler Durden represents everything that Norton's character wants to be but can't because he's being held back by something, whether it be society, or personal demons or whatever. Its all up for interpretation what exactly makes Tyler Durden manifest but you see him manifest. You see him manifest in the story, the character development, even the cinematography shows Tyler Durden manifesting before he ever shows up.

And I think the thing thats pretty great about this movie is the value that comes from watching the movie again. You see how Tyler Durden is integrated in the film, how Norton's character is reacting without Durden, and finally you see how the two are two sides of the same coin.

You can see the character development and how it is an intricate part of the story. Its just very well done and deeper and I haven't even mentioned all the intricacies of the film.

Individual performances, obviously I've raved about the epicness of Brad Pitt playing Tyler Durden. For some reason I've seen things online that have likened this performance to that of Heath Ledger and the Joker. To me they're two very different performances. I mean if you think they're two very creepy psychotic roles played by an actor pretty early in their career, sure. Anyway, Brad Pitt is awesome.

Edward Norton is good. I've decided I really like Edward Norton as an actor even though I haven't seen him in much. This and The Hulk, which I actually really liked. I like Mark Ruffalo and I think he's a great choice for the Hulk but for some reason Edward Norton worked in a way you wouldn't expect for the Hulk... but I digress.

Norton's character is a conflicted crazy developed character and you see his transformation but you don't see him turn into Tyler Durden and I like that. They're still very different people who just happen to be the same person and it works really well.

Helena Bohnam Carter works in the role. That's not to say she's spectacular in it. It just means she works in it. Marla is suppose to be this wacked out women living in almost poverty with a suicidal streak in her. I guess Carter looks the part and while this movie did show she can act, I'm still not that wild about her. Maybe I'm too critical but to me, Helena Bohnam Carter seemed to be brought it because this is probably what she looked like in the 90s. I don't even think they got her in costume I think she just showed up in normal clothes and said, "Wow, Okay, we had something for you but that works much better". Marla plays a great role because the entire movie you think she's sleeping with Tyler Durden but when you realize she's been sleeping with... Tyler Durden or Norton's character's other side, she actually becomes one of the best ways to see the twist before it even comes.

Overall, the movie is great. The performances are epic, the different messages and themes within the movie are fantastic and the way the movie is shot is great. You should know this already since the movie has been out for almost fifteen years, but they impose shots of Brad Pitt in the film before he shows up. Its the figment of Tyler Durden trying to get out and it also makes use of the film technique they mention in the film when film strips used to have to be put together by a film operator. Its intricacies that make this movie so interesting.

Is there anything bad about this movie? Probably. This is one of the hardest things to do as a "film critic" because when I really like a movie, its really hard to point out the things that didn't work or could have been better. Really, I can't think of anything. This movie is just so original and so iconic that even if there was something wrong with it, it would be very miniscule. Its definitely one of my favorite movies now and again, if you haven't GO SEE THIS MOVIE.

So I'm done overhyping this movie for you. Have you seen Fight Club? What do you think about it? Did I miss anything? By me raving about it did I miss anything that was very wrong with the movie? Otherwise tell me your thoughts on the movie good or bad. Comment below and let me know.

I'll leave you with this. I was originally going to put up this video. Its Robot Chicken, its funny, I thought it was a shoe in for the final video. But instead I found this one and it needed to be put up. This is a trailer for Ferris Bueller's Day Off put Fight Club style. Enjoy!