Akin to the stylistic form of the first eighteenth century novels,FIGHT
CLUB is narrated by an anonymous Narrator (Edward Norton). The Narrator
is a thirty-something corporate slave who works the typical mundane
9-5 job where, upon its conclusion, he heads home to browse the latest
IKEA catalog in search of some snazzy new item to don in his apartment.
Though he is a man with a "respectable wardrobe"; a man who
is "almost complete", even he can't deny that something is
missing. But what exactly is that something?
In search of some meaning to life, some meaning of his purpose in life,
the Narrator develops an unhealthy yet pervasive case of narcolepsy.
Apparently the narcolepsy is so bad that it begins to affect his daily
performance at work, his health, and even his own psyche. Searching
for help the Narrator begins to visit random support groups. Though
he has none of the sicknesses of the groups which he attends, while
there something happens to him which allows him to let go, to cry; through
the crying he finds a way to cure his narcolepsy. Albeit an indirect
solution to his problem, the Narrator begins to once again find happiness,
that is, until Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter) enters the picture
in all her manic-depressive gothic-esque hypochondriac glory: a woman
who believes that she "might die at any moment; the tragedy is
that she doesn't die".
Nevertheless, she too begins to regularly visit the same support groups
as the Narrator, interrupting his therapeutic sessions with new friend
Robert 'Bitch Tits Bob' Paulson (Meatloaf). As the Narrator notes, "Every
night I died, and every night I was born again; I was resurrected. This
was my vacation and she ruined it. Marla, the big tourist, her lie affected
my lie, and I couldn't take it anymore". Yet again his narcolepsy
returns and so he avows to approach Marla with an ultimatum, which of
course ends in a compromise that has the two splitting up their hobby
into assigned sessions.
Just as things are about to get back to normal the Narrator runs into
the precarious Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), soap manufacturer and intriguing
individual. After the Narrator's apartment mysteriously blows up he
phones Tyler and the two meet at a bar to discuss the Narrator's latest
predicament. There, the Narrator is introduced to the enlightening process
of self-induced pain. Thus the first form of Fight Club is realized
in the friendly brawl between Tyler and the Narrator who, after a vainglorious
brawl, head home bloodied and bruised to converse over some good beer
and crash on some more than dilapidated couches in Tyler's equally decrepit
house, where the Narrator will now be residing. Beginning to immerse
himself in the revolutionary, albeit anarchist philosophies of his new
mentor, the Narrator finds himself continually in awe of Tyler's rebellious
yet brilliant belief system, and actions. As the two continually begin
to rumble, coming one step closer to that self-enlightened state, they
get the brilliant idea of beginning an underground club, Fight Club.
Quickly many men begin to flock to the appealing, albeit nonsensical
prospect of being inducted into the ‘Fight Club’. Just as soon as it
gathers a huge fan base however, Tyler imposes rules on the club: "The
first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club. The second
rule of Fight Club is you do NOT talk about Fight Club." 8 rules
altogether, Tyler maps out the stipulations to the latest underground
institution as men drool on the sidelines awaiting their turn at a friendly
fight. Quickly the club gains notoriety and Tyler begins to give out
assignments which he argues will help the men in their acquiescence
of the club's mission to self enlightenment.
Having completely abandoned all worries for the courteous subjugation
of his inferior role in society, the Narrator revels in the confines
of his humble abode, the fleshy bruises of his fragile yet formidable
corpse, the rebellious nature of his flippant attitude and appearance
at work, as well as his more than slacking performance, and of course,
Saturday night's and Fight Club. All seems well that is, until Marla
Singer re-enters the picture and begins to make routine appearances
at his house whereby her sexually precocious antics with Tyler are more
than audible to the disgusted, almost begrudgingly heartbroken Narrator's
ears. As he continually gives Marla the cold shoulder, she roams from
room to room in the house looking constantly confused and hurt by the
behavior of Tyler, and the Narrator. Nevertheless she returns for her
daily sexual rampages, that is, until Tyler begins to make plans for
his latest project: Project Mayhem.
Allowing each member of Fight Club to interview for a position in the
upcoming top secret project, the Narrator and Tyler set about organizing
project mayhem. But though the Narrator is still involved in the project
he begins to notice himself being left out more and more as Tyler begins
to confide in other members, space monkeys, of the club, leaving the
narrator to the menial tasks of the project. All the while Tyler is
noticing the Narrator's skepticism and begins to take great pains to
assure the Narrator’s commitment to the cause.
But the sudden death of Bob begins to send the Narrator's head spinning
and suddenly nothing makes sense anymore. His hounding boss, Richard
Chesler (Zach Grenier), his dead friend, the ambivalent Marla, nothing
makes sense anymore just as Tyler's vision no longer seems correct in
its lack of moral and ethical subservience. As the Narrator begins to
take matters into his own hands he is met with repeated resistance from
the spreading members of Fight Club which has now recruited people from
all over the nation. Flying from state to state in hopes of tracing
Tyler down, the Narrator begins to question if Tyler is really who he
thinks he is, more importantly, if he exists at all.
Believing himself to be the "button-down oxford cloth psycho"
who finally snaps, the Narrator begins to understand that despite his
apparent ignorance to the cause of Project Mayhem, he may in fact be
the mastermind behind the project’s mission to wipe away the nation's
deficit (by blowing up all major credit card buildings thereby destroying
all credit records), as well as Fight Club. As more and more people
begin referring to him as 'Sir', the Narrator begins to understand that
his alter-ego friend, Tyler, may be just that, his alter-ego, a subsequent
manifestation of himself.
As he races the clock to stop Project Mayhem before it occurs, creating
total economic chaos, the Narrator will have to confront Tyler and finally
discern the truth to himself, to Tyler, to his relationship with Marla,
and to Project Mayhem, before it's all too late.
FIGHT CLUB is flat out brilliant. Possibly one of the most brilliant,
witty, original, fantastic, mind-blowing, innovative, and modern scripts
ever, FIGHT CLUB steals the scene and emerges a true film for cult film
and blockbuster lovers alike. Packed full of radical philosophy, the
film offers a philosophical, psychological, and anthropological lens
through which to analyze not just the characters of the film, but one’s
self. FIGHT CLUB is startling, moving, enticing, though-provoking, compelling,
and flat out second to none. Never before has there been a film like
FIGHT CLUB and never again will there be a film that can be a FIGHT
CLUB without being a flat-out inferior replication of the original.
The cinematography in FIGHT CLUB is solid and often the direction captures
several unique angles, and exploits the use of lighting so as to add
to the symbolic meaning exploited in the film. Also adding the to artistic
vision of the direction is the subtle yet detectable film splicing which
repeatedly inserts random images, usually of Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden,
which ironically parallels Tyler's profession in the film. There is
so much attention to detail in this film, as is an absolute necessity
so as to successfully pull off the plot. No stone is left unturned,
no corner unexplored in the well-rounded, solid, fluid, complete film
that is, in short a masterpiece.
Edward Norton and Brad Pitt steal the scene in their masterful portrayals
of the antithetical characters of Narrator and Tyler Durden respectively.
Edward Norton calls on his hallmark dry humor and stoic personality
to pull of his role while Brad Pitt brings his wild charisma to life
in the rambunctiously rebellious Tyler Durden; think his character in
"12 Monkeys" with much, much more character development and
you truly have one of the most memorable characters, along with Ed Norton’s
character, in modern fiction. Uhls and Fincher do justice to Palahniuk's
novel and give it a visual splendor that constantly entices the senses
and entices the mind. FIGHT CLUB is thought provoking, palatable, everything.
IT TRULY IS the ultimate guy flick, but also has much to offer for any
true cult film or underground film lover, as well as any academic looking
for a little insight into some of the uncanny ways to self enlightenment.
FIGHT CLUB is a cutting edge treat from which much of Hollywood should
take a note and follow the terrific example set by such a unique film
as this.
Main Characters:
Edward Norton plays Narrator, the conservative, straight-laced, white
collared, IKEA obsessed worker bee who suddenly grows tired of the monotony
of his consumer-driven lifestyle that leaves him wanting more from life.
Brad Pitt plays Tyler Durden, the antithesis of the Narrator's persona;
Tyler is a wild, revolutionary, primal man with a desire to obliterate
the economic system that blinds humans from the ultimate truth.
Helena Bonham Carter plays Marla Singer, the intriguing woman who is
almost as crazy as the Narrator with her hypochondriac tendencies and
manic-depressive ways.
Meat Loaf plays Robert 'Bob' Paulson; next to Tyler, 'Bob' is the narrator's
closest friend after months of bonding in weekly testicular cancer group
sessions.
Zach Grenier plays Richard Chesler, the Narrator's stereotypical hard-assed
blue-collar corporate boss who grows increasingly tired of the Narrator's
rebellious and unproductive ways.
FIGHT
CLUB ... THE DRAMA REVIEW
