Review of Fight Club (1999) by Andrew M — 08 Sep 2013

Believe it or not, David Fincher's 1999 classic Fight Club was a major box office flop during its theatrical run. On a $63 million budget, the film failed to break even during its run, making only $37 million. However, as time passed, the film was recognized by more and more people, and soon became a cult classic among movie fans. Before the release of Fight Club, Fincher had a hit-or-miss filmography. His film Seven was a huge success, but Alien 3 was mixed upon moviegoers. Fight Club renewed Fincher's career, as it is an extremely well directed look into the psychology of society.

Based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club tells the story of an unnamed narrator. As an employee for an automobile company, The Narrator suffers from a severe case of insomnia every night. Looking for a way to get some sleep, The Narrator finds emotional release in support groups that he attends, fooling the members into thinking he is a victim just like them. He soon becomes addicted to this new strategy, until the mysterious Marla Singer causes him to ditch the support groups.

It is then that The Narrator runs into a man named Tyler Durden on one of his business flights. After The Narrator's apartment is destroyed by an explosion, he moves in with his new friend, who slowly turns The Narrator's life upside down. One night at a bar, The Narrator and Tyler get the idea to open an after-hours "fight club" in the basement of the bar, where men can come and fight for recreational purposes. The fight club soon evolves into an idea that is much more complex than The Narrator had expected, and changes him entirely.

Fight Club's story is very thought-provoking and fascinating, with lots of thought put into it. Essentially a satire of society, Fight Club asks a lot of questions about society and the psychology of the everyman within society. The screenplay is extremely well written, with a dark sense of humor and fantastic narration mixed in with the actual dialogue of the movie. The film also contains one of the greatest plot twists in film, which makes so much sense upon multiple viewings.

The acting is simple phenomenal. Edward Norton is fantastic in the main role as The Narrator, nailing the insomniac elements of his character. His acting is especially great considering the aforementioned plot twist required a large change in acting from Norton. Brad Pitt is simply amazing as Tyler Durden, earning the character a spot on countless lists of great film characters. Pitt essentially plays a character every man wishes he could be, and he does so with awesome charisma and acting skill. Helena Bonham Carter, often overlooked by the two male protagonists, is a very important Marla Singer. She plays the role extremely well, and deserves more attention for it.

Like his other films, Fincher brings an extremely unique directing style to Fight Club. Full of quick one frame cuts, fourth wall breaking, dazzling cinematography, and an interesting art direction, watching Fight Club feels like a surreal and unique experience that is rivaled by no other film. Fincher also crams so many small details into the tiniest nooks and crannies of the story, which eagle-eyed viewers may catch and genuinely enjoy due to the pure intelligence of these details. The film is incredibly well directed, and this is just one of Fight Club's strong points.

Fight Club certainly deserves its spot in cult classic territory. The film successfully launched the fimmaking career of the genius that is David Fincher, even with Alien 3 and Seven under his belt. Full of brilliant acting performances, an engaging story that is adapted very well, and near perfect direction crammed with the smallest, yet smartest, of details, Fight Club is simply brilliant. The movie is more than just a testosterone-fueled, manly fighting montage; it's a psychological journey about consumerism and the everyman. There truly is nothing quite like it, making it a must-see for just about anyone.