Review of 25th Hour (2002) by Lori W — 22 Jan 2013

I'm not really sure how this got by me. I love Ed Norton, I love Philip Seymour Hoffman, I love Barry Pepper and I love New York.

For whatever the reason, I just missed it. Well, I'm really glad I finally got a chance to see it. It's easily one of the better films I've seen in a while.

I'm not a huge Spike Lee fan, but I loved Do the Right Thing and The Inside Man. I'm not sure if there is any other director whose love for his city is more apparent in their films than Spike Lee. He really does love New York and that love shines through in almost every frame of 25th Hour.

That being said, Lee uses the New York backdrop in a very subtle way. The film never turns into a love letter to NYC. Lee is also very classy with the way he deals with the aftermath of 9/11.

The 25th Hour includes some solid acting performances from some of today's greatest actors including Ed Norton who plays Monty Brogan, a drug dealer who is about to go to prison.

The film follows Monty around town on the night before he goes to jail. He's accompanied by his friends played by Pepper and Hoffman.

The film is very much about making choices and how one bad decision can change your life forever. Monty has clearly made some bad choices that have landed him in the situation he is in. At the same time, Hoffman is battling with his feelings for his underage student. He's struggling with urges that he's not sure he can suppress. Making the wrong choice could land him in jail like his friend.

The 25th Hour is very much a character study. The plot isn't overly complex and the story doesn't progress like your typical Hollywood film.

All in all, the 25th Hour is a haunting portrayal of a broken man (and city) who is hours away from hitting rock bottom.