Movie Review - Fight Club (1999)

Based on the 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk, this movie stars Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter, a trio of spectacular actors. Although Pitt is the 'big' name in this film, Norton and Carter truly make the movie. It is a very controversial movie that has received recognition from magazines such as Total Film, which declared in 2007 that Fight Club is the "greatest movie of our lifetime". The movie includes a love-triangle of the three star actors, a soap company, support group sessions, and loads of fighting among other things. So one might ask, how do these things add up to create the best movie of all time? The question is simple, but the answer is quite complicated. One might not even understand the entire movie after watching it the first time. In fact, I have watched the movie multiple times and have learned something new each and every time. There are little details that mark significant ideas and issues throughout the film. Edward Norton narrates throughout the entire film and he plays a key role in the greatness of it.

Fight Club shows you some of the most discomforting, disheartening, and disgusting situations one could imagine. For example, the film includes Tyler Durden's (Brad Pitt) soap company, in which Durden explains disturbing key ingredient in his high class soap- human body fat. One can also learn how to make a bomb via this film, simply combine equal parts of frozen orange juice concentrate and gasoline. In addition, there's the fabulously trashy Marla Singer, played by Helena Bonham Carter. Marla attends support group sessions, even though she is perfectly healthy (she even attends a testicular cancer session), she steals clothes from laundromats and sells them, and does other terrible things throughout the movie. However, despite all this, she's not a hated or disliked character. In fact, one tends to like Marla, and possibly even find her sexually appealing.

There's much more to this film. There are so many ideas and messages packed into this film. It's extremely provocative and must be watched more than once to ensure complete understanding. This movie is being fully and most enthusiastically recommended, with two thumbs up and a five-star rating. It's a must see for anyone, especially someone who's open to thinking about controversial issues. Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, and Brad Pitt are certain to give you one of the best performances you have ever seen.