The 25th Hour (DVD)

While much focus under reviews of the movie has been on Spike Lee's involvement in the film of the book and use of the post 11/9 setting, this in large part overlooks that the movie started with the great asset of a well written novel with a unique and timely story. In addition the using of the author David Beniofff to also write the screenplay seems to have ensured that much of the book's strengths were not lost in the transition to the screen.

Despite the few sops made from the book to Hollywood story lines (an over emphasis on did the girlfriend betray the lead character now destined for 7 years in jail and the resultant conversion of the ending), there is much to admire in the movie especially in tracking the story mix of the course of the lead actor Ed Norton's last day of freedom and the flashbacks needed to explain why matters have turned out as they have.

While the film's main emphasis is inevitably on Norton, what is more interesting is how he pales (relatively) against the ensemble of other support roles from the spot on Wall Street financial trader aggression of Barry Pepper; the adrift personna of introverted academic Philip Seymour Hoffman; the confused Puerto Rican girlfriend of Rosario Dawson and the pained widowed father of Brian Cox. The film makes great use of long set up fixed shots where the book's core themes of friendships and personal loyalties under pressure are endlesssly explored, with most dramatic effect in two scenes from an apartment overlooking the cleared World Trade Centre site and in a bar scene before the party moves on to a dance club.

While Spike Lee deserves full credit for evoking the NY story and setting, this is definitely a production that is the sum of its many great parts (and the audio commentary from Lee and Benioff included as a DVD extra reconfirms this).

Unfortunately, the product was defected. I replied one of your e-mails offers mentioning this but I guess you didn't get the message. I lack of time and patience to go to the returning process so, since it does'nt happen that often I let it go. So I can't rate it. I couldn't watch it. It kept freezzing on me the whole time.
Rita

I saw 25th Hour, starring Edward Norton, last week, and I sooooo enjoyed it. In this movie, Norton plays Montgomery, a drug dealer who gets pinched by the DEA. The movie catalogues his final day of freedom before he goes to jail for 7 years on drug charges. He re-visits his old school, has dinner with his father (a wonderful turn by Brian Cox), and goes out one last time with his two best friends (played beautifully by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Barry Pepper) and his girlfriend (Rosario Dawson).

It seems ordinary enough, but every interaction is imbued with meaning because all involved realize what's on the other side of the evening - 7 long, horrible years in prison. Norton is marvelous in this. There is also an achingly quiet scene between Pepper and Hoffman, overlooking the hole that was Ground Zero, that I will remember for a long time.

The only complaint I have is an early scene, played between Norton and his reflection in the mirror, that I thought was too preachy and overwrought. The script circled back around to it later in the film, which redeemed the sequence somewhat, but mostly I felt that this could have been cut without detriment to the story.

Warning - there's alot of language here. But for a movie about a drug dealer, I can understand it. Watch this movie for the performances.

I confess to being a non-Spike Lee fan after being alienated by 2 of his films, "Mo Better blues" & "Jungle Fever" but this film was recommended to me by my cousin and also star Edward Norton spoke highly of his relationship with Lee during the making of this film. It's basically about the last 24 hrs in the life of drug dealer before he is sent to prison to serve his sentence. Norton together with a fine cast (Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Brian Cox, Barry Pepper and the luscious Rosario Dawson)plus a very good screenplay by David Benihoff (Troy) help to make this one of Spike's best films. Gone is the racial-political ranting but present is a story of regret and redemption. If you are an non-Lee fan like I was, you may change your opinion after seeing this fine film.

I tend to like all of Spike Lee's films becaue they make you think. I believe Spike Lee's forte is in the dialogue he has in his films. There is something about the genuineness of the dialogues which are very compelling. This is true of all of his films, but particularly this one where Edward Norton's character is distressed about being sent to prison. The whole story revolves around this one character. The conversations he has with others, himself and the side conversations about his situation is very moving and thought provoking.

The film is all about the decisions we make and how those decisions can lead to painful ramifications for not only the person making them but to his friends and love ones as well.