It may take a second viewing to see if `Fight Club' makes any sense at all, but first-time writer Jim Uhls (adapting Chuck Palahniuk's novel) has fashioned a sardonic, darkly funny script, and David Fincher keeps the film involving at every turn.
Another reason why `Fight Club' works so well is the forceful performance of Edward Norton. He first caught the public's eye as a schizophrenic choirboy in `Primal Fear', and garnered his second Oscar nomination last year for the powerful `American History X'. Norton can carry a film with the best of them, and `Fight Club' might just make him a star.
Brad Pitt is charismatic in as Tyler, showing that he belongs in Fincher's films (he starred in `Seven') rather than in melodramatic trash like `Seven Years In Tibet' and `Meet Joe Black'. Helena (`Wings Of The Dove') Bonham Carter's faux-American accent wasn't believable, but the choice to cast her was an interesting one.
The opinions on `Fight Club' will differ from person to person, but my conclusion is that the film is an unsettling, freakish experience, but it will reward those who choose to accept it. It'll be interesting to watch `Fight Club' in 30 years and see how it stands the test of time, because it brings up issues that may be important sooner than we think. To quote the tagline for this year's `Minus Man', `conversation usually follows.'
a review by Akiva Gottlieb akiva@excite.com http://cinemania.8m.com
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