The story follows Irish, New York drug dealer Monty (the impeccable Edward Norton).  He’s not big time, but not necessarily small time either.  The police got him on enough stuff to put him away for seven years, and it’s only his first offense.  He’s already been sentenced and has one day to say goodbye to his recovering alkie father (the tremendous Brian Cox), see his sleazy best friend and Wall Street financier (Barry Pepper in, perhaps, the only performance I’ve ever seen him where I wasn’t annoyed), and to see his not so sleazy other best friend, a Jewish teacher at a fancy prep school (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who has some controlled, but inappropriate tendencies towards one of his more flashy students (a completely terrific Anna Paquin).  Also along for the right is his freakishly attractive girlfriend Naturelle (Rosario Dawson), whom he suspects may have turned him into the police.  The prospect of this tortures him.

Every single actor is as aggressive and fantastic as Lee is in his direction.  Norton is an acting tour de force.  His five minute monologue insulting every race, organization and institution that make up the five boroughs is some of the best acting I’ve seen, and the material is no less moving.  The story is adapted by David Benioff, and it’s based on the novel he wrote.  It’s a story of human triumph, the ability to manage, even in the face of tremendous odds against you.  The film was released in 2002, and Lee tastefully used the newly shattered New York skyline, the devastation of Ground Zero to compare and contrast Monty’s newly shattered life, and to insinuate the hope for Monty if he doesn’t give up on himself.  It’s truly haunting,  The score is intense, dramatic, and keeps a dark sense of doom in the back of your mind.  At first viewing, I thought the score was a little much, but later I realized nothing could be more fitting as you’re heading to a tough, maximum security in prison… for seven years.  Lee used some really fascinating camera work to build up this piece as more than just a brilliant narrative, but something that’s enchanting to look at.  This is one of those rare cinematic pieces that, despite it’s few flaws, will remain with you for a long, long time to come.

4 out of 4 stars

Rottentomatoes: 77% – Cream of the Crop: 76%

25th Hour

I’m not sure it’s director D.J. Caruso’s fault either.  The script he had to work with is a big steaming pile of poo.  It’s no secret that Eagle Eye had not less than six official re-writes of the script…a script that was co-written by John Glenn and Travis Wright (both of whom haven’t really written anything before this).

The story follows Jerry Shaw (Shia LaBoeuf, a fiercely independent copy boy who hates his family and the world.  One day, he finds his bank account balance about $750,000 higher than it usually is.  His apartment is filled with guns, fake passports, and enough materials to build several large bombs.  It’s here that he gets a phone call from a mysteriously emotionless female voice that gives him directives that will keep him alive and out of the reach of the FBI.  Meanwhile, Rachel (Michelle Monaghan) receives a call from the same voice, threatening the safety of her son if she doesn’t comply to the directions she’s given.  In this panicked state, the two are thrown together and are sent all over the place doing whatever the voice asks, breaking laws, and leaving innocent bystanders dead in their wake.  Two high ranking government officials (Rosario Dawson and Billy Bob Thorton) are hot on their trail the whole time.

Caruso did what he could with the materials he was given.  There were actually some very impressive explosions, car chases, graphics.  But harping on these same stupid themes that have plagued our theaters for the last 7 years (i.e. fear of all middle-easterners, fear of being mistaken for a terrorist, fear of ‘Big Brother’), the viewer is just offended (or should be) fifteen minutes into the film.  There were also some serious continuity issues as well.  Logic was thrown out the window on this one, so don’t expect a very coherent narrative.

Michelle Monaghan is, as always, great.  Although after last year’s Gone Baby Gone, I can’t figure out why she’d stoop to this (maybe it’s because Steven Spielberg is listed as an executive producer).  And as much as I love to hate LaBeouf, I really didn’t have a problem with his performance.  All in all, this is slightly less-than-average popcorn flick, that will entertain you, but leave you sad you watched it as you walk out of the theater with your head hung with shame.

1 out of 4 stars

Rottentomatoes: 27% – Cream of the Crop: 23%