The worst thing about good times is that people don’t know that they live in good times. Arguably the most spectacular examples of the phenomenon, at least if Generation X Americans are concerned, could be provided in 1990s. A period that started with the fall of Berlin Wall and ended with the collapse of WTC towers was, in retrospect, a true golden age characterised by American military omnipotence, strong economy, cultural supremacy and domestic problems and divisions that seem petty in comparison with those before and after. Yet, you might not get such impression if you watched Hollywood films at the time, especially those made in 1999. Either because of the anxieties caused by approaching Millennium or dark fin de siècle artistic sentiments like those a century earlier, Hollywood’s films, at least those oriented towards “serious” audience, were filled with discontent, feelings of angst and deeply critical attitude towards present state of affair. Few films embodied those trends as thoroughly as Fight Club, 1999 satirical black comedy directed by David Fincher, known as one of the most controversial films of its time.
The film is based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk. The protagonist and narrator (played by Edward Norton) is unnamed car recall specialist who works for large corporation. Although job pays well and allows him to fill his apartment with IKEA furniture, he is exhausted by air travel, monotony and jet lag that causes insomnia. He finds unusual solution of that problem by attending various support group meetings for addicts or seriously ill people. Although not afflicted himself, the emotional experiences allow him to finally sleep. Things, however, change when during those meetings he stumbles into Marla Singer (played by Helena Bonham Carter), woman who is another “tourist” and reminds him of his own duplicity. Again afflicted with insomnia, during one of his trips he meets Tyler Durden (played by Brad Pitt), unorthodox travelling salesman who distributes home-made soap and who in his free time makes all kinds of pranks in restaurants and cinemas. Two of them become friends and after protagonist’s apartment is wrecked in fire, Tyler invites him to live in his rundown house. Tyler and protagonist sometimes indulge in fist fights and those incidents begin to attract attention of other men. Tyler founds “Fight Club”, secret organisation that stages illegal bare-knuckles fights that attract members who see brutal violence as a way to escape from their monotonous lives. Tyler, who is amused at first, soon becomes worried when “Fight Club” becomes increasingly popular, with rising number of chapters and members, while Tyler turns those members into an army of followers whose ultimate intentions might be extremely violent and destructive.
Fight Club has certain similarities with American Beauty, “Oscar”-winning drama made roughly at the same time. Both films represent critique of social conformism and materialism, but they are also very different. Unlike American Beauty, which takes more generic aim in the form of suburbia and nuclear family that might have belonged to the past, object of criticism in this film is anchored to the present. Furthermore, script by Jim Uhls deals almost exclusively with the social group that was all but neglected in “politically correct” 1990s Hollywood – heterosexual men. Modern technology has removed need for their muscles, disappearance of traditional family has removed their role of protectors, while popular culture forced them to become passive consumers and deny their biological destiny. Palahniuk, Uhls and Fincher, in not so subtle way, compare that state of affairs with castration, so Durden’s rebellion in the film is portrayed as understandable reaction of social group that feels confused, deceived, humiliated and unwanted in brave new world. Fight Club clearly shows how those feelings can be easily manipulated and how fascism, chauvinism and various other “isms” from dark past can easily be resurrected even in prosperous and seemingly enlightened Western democracies.
Fight Club was directed by David Fincher, film maker who began his career in music videos, but unlike most of his colleagues with such background, managed in to slowly build his own and very recognisable style in 1990s, with each of his film being better than previous. Having a large budget at his disposal, Fincher has filled this film with plenty of meticulously planned shots and created memorable scenes. Fincher, known for dark and extremely serious content of his previous films, has here for the first time shown more inclination for humour. Although some of the scenes aren’t for more sensitive viewers – like those in which character’s faces get deformed or those featuring various bodily fluids – they are also made somewhat bearable with ironic distance and what would be disturbing in other films is here source of laugh. Ironic detachment is helped by excellent cinematography by Jordan Cronenweth whose dark overtones serve as good contrast to ironic musical soundtrack by Dust Brothers.
Fincher also secured a very good cast. Brad Pitt was at the time trying very hard to prove that he was something more than pretty screen idol. Although his role of Tyler Durden perhaps wasn’t as intense as role of madman in 12 Monkeys, his portrayal of charismatic sociopath is one of the finest points of his career. Edward Norton was quite effective playing character who is Durden’s antithesis – a confused, frustrated yuppie suffering from existential crisis and always aware of his physical and psychological inferiority to his charismatic friend. Helena Bonham Carter is quite impressive in the role so different from those of played in prestigious period dramas, but at times character of Marla Singer, who looks like someone mopped floor with her, is difficult to imagine as some sort of femme fatale. Supporting cast is also more than satisfactory, especially Meat Loaf, rock singer and actor whose tragicomic character of Robert Paulson is quite memorable.
Fight Club had its premiere at Venice Film Festival and immediately divided critics. Some enthusiastically praised it for Fincher’s craftsmanship and social criticism while others were appalled by allegedly unacceptable and potentially even harmful content. The latter often viewed film as something of misogynistic right-wing fantasy or even promotion of fascism, forcing Fincher to publicly distance himself from any overtly political message. Even those who considered Fincher innocent were concerned that fictional “fight club” presented in this film would lead to similar organisations in real life; despite few sensationalist news headlines, those concerns weren’t particularly justified in last two decades. Fight Club originally failed at the box office and was considered costly fiasco only to become great hit on home video and slowly build cult status that would, among other things, inspire certain popular economics-themed blogs. What cemented status of Fight Club as truly memorable film is, however, final scene which looks eerily prophetic in light of certain epochal events that would occur two years later.
RATING: 8/10 (+++)
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