Monday, October 15, 2012

"Worker bees can leave"


I chose to review David Fincher's 1999 film "Fight Club" because it is my all time favorite movie. I would classify it as an action fueled drama with depth. This movie stars Brad Pitt as "Tyler Durden" and Edward Norton as the Narrator, Norton's character is never named throughout the story, as two men who are fed up with being cogs in the machine they perceive society as being. They start an underground fighting club for men that after becoming popular takes a turn towards becoming a terrorist cell, that Tyler fondly refers to as "Project Mayhem." The Narrator starts to question Tyler and his motives, this is where their perfect world begins to unravel.

"Fight Club" spends a lot of it's time evaluating the way social classes interact. The Narrator is portrayed as a middle class Joe Schmo, he is addicted to the Ikea catalog and subsists on a diet made up of condiments. This class of man is portrayed as dehumanized and emasculated. Tyler presents the world in black and white, he feels that man needs to reclaim the world for himself, violently. Another aspect of the disenfranchised class of humanity that is shown is those involved in support groups, see the Narrator has become addicted to lying his way into them and then crying his eyes out for a good nights sleep. There are some crazy character studies shown in these scenes; including Helena Bonham Carter playing both main characters love interest, Marla Singer, who is a mentally destroyed woman that is on the brink of suicide, and Meatloaf's turn as Robert "Bitch Tits Bob" Paulson, a former steroid addict that has lost everything and due to hormone therapy has developed a large set of mammaries that leads him to being upset with the world and a perfect candidate for being a soldier in Project Mayhem.

The different social classes interact in a hostile way. A great example of this is shown when Tyler, the Narrator, and other members of Project Mayhem get jobs as waiters in a classy hotel strictly to sabotage the food (by urinating in the soup and many other unsavory tasks) and harass the lead investigator on the "Project Mayhem" case. Another example of the classes not getting along so well is Tyler's ultimate plan, he wants to blow up the headquarters of all the major credit card companies, so that he will erase everyone's debt.

The Narrator seems to just want meaning in his life, whether at work, fight club, or just being bros with Tyler. Tyler is one of those men who just want to watch the world burn, he is willing to do whatever it takes to bring about the revolution he envisions. Together they create the ultimate team at subverting modern culture and causing chaos amongst the classes.

"Fight Club" definitely questions the traditional value system as it is portrayed in most cinematic endeavors. The characters create their own value system where respect and willingness to help the cause are held above all others.
In my opinion "Fight Club" is an excellent movie that needs multiple viewings to figure out all of the subtleties that David Fincher has included.

Bonus:
THE RULES OF FIGHT CLUB

1st RULE: You do not talk about FIGHT CLUB.
2nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about FIGHT CLUB.
3rd RULE: If someone says "stop" or goes limp, taps out the fight is over.
4th RULE: Only two guys to a fight.
5th RULE: One fight at a time.
6th RULE: No shirts, no shoes.
7th RULE: Fights will go on as long as they have to.
8th RULE: If this is your first night at FIGHT CLUB, you HAVE to fight.