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.

I love this movie because of Ed Norton's performance. He is one of my favorit actors. I would like to see him have more parts.

One of the many things that make 25th hour such a special film to me is how Benioff and Lee didn't attempt to cram too many events into this plot. This film does take place in just one day, and it's a perfect snapshot of the lead protagonist Monty Brogan's thoughts and actions in that final day before he begins a 7 year jail sentence for dealing heroin, expertly put together by David Benioff and Spike Lee. We see Brogan (superbly played by Edward Norton) walking his dog, talking to his girlfriend, having a meal with his father, going out to a club with his friends, preparing to go to jail and being driven there. It's not over the top, it isn't brash, but it does do what is necessary.

Brogan is clearly worried and regretful. This is faultlessly portrayed by the mirror scene, in which he rants incessantly about the variety of people populating New York, and then realizes that he only has himself to blame for the situation he is in. It's such a human moment, since how many people can honestly say that they have never chosen to blame others, and take their anger out in a vicious way, even if it is just personal thoughts? But it isn't just Monty who feels regret, virtually every other character we focus on does, Monty's father is weighed down by his former alcoholism, and he partly holds himself responsible for Monty's fate. And so do Monty's friends, not preventing him from his choice to deal drugs.

Monty Brogan is not really shown in a 'good' or 'bad' light. Norton plays him as a normal person. He's easy to relate to, and it's a reminder of how anyone can turn out depending on what choices they make. His choice of drug dealing is looked down upon, the interrogators ridicule him, but that is only in the context of drug dealing, not as a normal person. Benioff and Lee were keen to show his actions like this.

The film is skillfully made, from the very tasteful opening credit scene acknowledging 9/11 (another honest feature about the film, which is an important theme throughout), where we see the lights at ground zero dropping from the sky, to the fantasy scene with Monty and his father in the car near the end, where they think about the family he could have had, all surreally dressed in while. Terence Blanchard's score too is one of the most beautiful I've heard in a recent film along with Michael Andrews score for Donnie Darko - The Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition). The film tells it like it is. It's about decision making, it's about responsibility and it's about real friendship. It's realistic on an emotional level and is now one of my favorite Spike Lee Joints.

As 'A Spike Lee Joint,' 25th hour is part of the ongoing Lee paradigm, filled with his typical style, directorial vigour, and cinematic gloss. A flowing, feature length music video, containing a story that is coherent, topical and, above all, strongly analytical in its approach to the characters, 25th Hour is the story of mid level drug dealer (Monty Brogan - Ed Norton) whom, on his last day before being incarcerated for his illicit trade, must make peace with his family and friends, answer to his Red Mafiya/Vory v zakone suppliers, say farewell to the city he so obviously loves and, ultimately, accept that he is now in receipt of justified dues.

With a post 9/11 setting in NYC, the script deviates from the book (which was written pre-9/11) only slightly in order to encompass the destruction, yet the atmosphere is set with the opening credits and a slice of dialogue during the first quarter (followed by some beautifully filmed cutaways of a sodium lit night-time clean-up crew, working in Ground Zero) which leaves the audience with no alternative but to associate the main characters' desperate tableau with plight of the city in the aftermath of tragedy. Lee - love him or loathe him for it - is known for his preaching and, right or wrong, seems to be suggesting that perhaps the terrible events of 9/11 have some twisted, if unjustified, reason. Lee later strongly denied this was his intention, in an enigmatic yet vague interview, and if he's criticised for it, has only himself to blame.

This could perhaps beg the question: What was so bad about how Monty made his living to warrant the end of his life (in effect) in the 25th Hour?

This is a question answered before it's asked, with the first scene after the opening credits showing an exchange between Monty and a dishevelled wreck of a man who is quite clearly one of his customers. It's further reinforced in a later flashback to Monty's earlier days as a dealer when the same man approaches Monty dressed in business attire. The destruction of others for personal gain is something that will not - and quite rightly so - go unchallenged.

Relying somewhat on symbolism and hidden meanings, there are a number of subtexts, as well as ample opportunities to read into the narrative more than is intended, but the overall message is clear: culpability is in the hands of the bearer, and with his last 24 hours of freedom sifting away and the eponymous 25th Hour quickly approaching Monty must see that blame can only lie with himself.

25th Hour's greatest achievement is in relaying a subtle, but highly relevant parable in a manner of storytelling that is both enjoyable and compelling. Very few words are wasted and the dialogue remains taught and muscular throughout. The editing, acting, score, direction and cinematography are all of the very highest standard. Whether or not you agree Lee's intention was to illustrate a larger picture - that maybe The US was in receipt of ineluctable retribution - is another story.

I understand the film tries to portray the fact that many people in their everday life commit crimes. Also I guess the movie came after sept 11 so it makes a reference to ground zero. There is a section where Edward Norton rants against the system, against the asians, sikhs, arabs and whites. Throught out the film I was trying to make sense of where the movie was heading. Dont get me wrong it was a very different movie and did not try to do the same thing as the steorotypical hollywood film but still the disperate story threads which did not have much connection to one other kind of threw me off. Edward Norton plays the drug peddler who gets caught with illegal cash, mops over it and then intends to party with this very close friends and enjoy his last night before going to jail. Phillip Seymore plays one of the friends who is a school teacher who has a crush on his 17 year student. The other friend is a risky stock gambler on wall street. Edward Norton suspects his girl friend of blowing the whistle on him, spends time with his friends as they bring out the skeletons in their cupboard, asks his friends to rough him up so that he does not look too neat when he enters prison, and then gets an offer from his dad to become a volunatry fugitive and lead a new life. At the ends I did not quite get what the film added upto and what Spike Lee is trying to convey in this story. There are seperate story lines which portray the immoral acts of some of the characters. Sure it talks of mistrust, suspiciouns and our own personal immoral crimes. But it doesn't compare to selling drugs, that can't be condoned. And so what was this film about. What was the message...?

regards, Vikram

Spike Lee masterfully delivers to us `25th Hour', a film so rich with character development and emotion that we are drawn in to each passing frame. In fact I can't say that Lee has ever been this graceful, this articulate or this brilliant before. If any film should have landed him an Oscar it would have to be this film, but sadly `25th Hour' was utterly ignored by Oscar, which is a shame since it truly is one of the best films of the given year. `25th Hour' is such a richly fulfilled film, a feature so complete in every category that it's hard to believe it was snubbed so extremely. From the script to the actors to the masterful direction `25th Hour' is in a word `flawless'.

The story revolves around drug dealer Monty Brogan who was just busted and sentenced to 8 years in prison. On his last night of freedom he purposes to find the person that set him up, the person who called in that anonymous tip that started his spiral of bad luck.

Was it his best friend Frank?

Was it his shy and reclusive friend Jacob?

Was it his beautiful girlfriend Naturelle?

While the film revolves around one night, the said night is so full of rich development that we are never bored, never stagnant and never rushed. The night beautifully captures the feeling of panic, the feeling of impending disaster but never lets loose of his relaxed pace and delivery. The lighting, the mood, the atmosphere is all magnificently captured by Spike Lee and company.

And what an impressive company he has. Edward Norton; one of the greatest working actors, is utterly amazing here. Yet another Oscar caliber performance (how is it that he is nominated for everything he does?). As Monty he fleshes out the very soul of this man, the rough exterior that melts away to reveal the vulnerable and frail fear within his heart. You have two aspects to this man and he breathes life to each side. You have his breathtaking monologue in the mirror and his heartbreaking final scene with co-star Barry Pepper. Speaking of Pepper, he nails his performance as Frank; the aggressive arrogance and almost snooty air that only masks his apparent loyalty and devotion. Philip Seymour Hoffman has always been a great supporting player but this is one of his finest performances in my opinion. It's not as showy as his more recent and beloved work and I think that plays to his interests here. He is reserved and subtle and thus endearing and memorable. His scene with Anna Paquin at the club is devastatingly real. Anna Paquin is also effortlessly captivating here as Mary, the flirtatious student for whom Jacob pines. Rosario Dawson and Brian Cox are also great here, not as standout as the four I've mentioned but definitely not lacking in any area.

Spike Lee though is the star of this film. Taking Benioff's script (which he adapted from his novel of the same name) and turning it loose on us in such a visually stimulating form Spike was able to pulverize me with one of the most effortlessly mesmerizing films I've seen in a long time.

Sure it's just one night, but it's one night you'll never forget.

Hmmm! This one caught me by surprise. It's an un-Spike Lee-esque joint. His usual cast of characters (Denzel Washington, Giancarlo Esposito, John Turturro, etc) are nowhere to be found. No moving sidewalks that I can remember. No pumping hip-hop soundtrack.

Having said that ...

This was a very good movie! There is no real plot but that's not a problem. Spike likes his movies to be character driven (a la Do the Right Thing) and this flick certainly fits the bill. Edward Norton is extremely compelling as Montgomery Brogan, a drug dealer who has been outed as such and is now spending his final day of freedom looking back on his life and the mistakes he's made.

Since there is no plot I don't want to give any of the movie away, but I must say there are very strong supporting performances by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Berry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, Brian Cox, and former NFL superstar Tony Siragusa who is almost unrecognizable via a thick and believable Russian accent. If I could have given the movie 4.5 stars I would have. Monty's rescuing of and eventual relationship with his pet dog Doyle would be the 1/2 star added - very touching.

I hate heavy-laden cursing in movies, but in an exception be sure to look for Monty's solilloquy (sp) regarding who he blames for life's miseries - and then who he ultimately blames.

This is one of Spike Lee's best. This movie invokes conversation and leaves the audience guessing what happens next even after the end of the movie. It is one that you can watch again and again and never grow tired of it because each time you notice something that you didn't notice before.

This was one of those movies that has been on my "like to watch it, someday" list forever. Once I finally got a chance to watch it, I was blown away by how amazing this movie is. Over the years there have been tons of movies about the existential crises of men who were dying, growing up, going to war, etc. The main character's crisis is different - Monty (played by Edward Norton) is going to prison for 7 years for dealing drugs. In this case, the main character is not dying or going to war or growing up - he is going to a place where most likely, all three will happen (he will definitely have to grow up, he will most certainly end up "at war" with other inmates, and more than one man has experienced the death of his soul, or at least his dreams, in prison, if they don't actually lose their life). It's a new twist on the time-honored "man vs. himself" theme.
There are some great moments in this movie but the subplot that struck me the most was the friendship between Monty and his old school pals Jacob (played by the very talented Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Frank (played by Barry Pepper, a criminally underrated and underemployed actor). Three guys who have gone down very different paths in life but are still linked by the strong ties of friendship they forged in school. Frank's character, as played by Pepper, in particular has a lot of depth and provokes both thought and emotion. As the movie plays out, you can see his character struggling with his own feelings about his best friend's fate. Does Monty deserve to be going to prison, as he tells Jacob in his apartment, or do he and Monty's other friends bear some responsibility for tacitly accepting Monty's drug dealing over the years, never telling him to stop, as he tells Naturelle (Monty's girlfriend, played by Rosario Dawson)? Will Monty's prison term end their friendship (as Frank tells Jacob) or will Frank be "waiting at the gate at Otisville in seven years" when Monty gets out, as Frank tells Naturelle? You can watch Pepper's internal turmoil as his character weighs out the options in his head, and watch the calculating investment banker fight with the Irish guy from the neighborhood that Frank used to be. Particularly in the scene in the park, you can see that true friendship is a lot more difficult and messy than sitcoms portray. Some friendships survive the test of time and bind people together long after they cease to have anything in common besides their shared past experiences. You can love your friends without loving their choices, and when their bad choices catch up to them, it's more important to stand by them and offer strength than to say "I told you so." The enduring nature of friendship was one of the themes of the movie that I felt was more compelling than the romantic subplot between Monty and Naturelle, or Monty's conflict with the Russian drug dealers.

Monty's relationship with his dad (played by Brian Cox) is also compelling and Cox's monologue, which ends the movie, is incredibly sad, because it represents a father's hopes and dreams for his son that will now come to nothing.

This is a brilliantly understated movie about the ties that bind people together - father/son, friendship, romance, trust, teacher-student - and how those ties can stretch to the breaking point but still not break. Monty, on his last day before a 7-year prison term, still believes that his girlfriend Naturelle is the one who sold him out to the DEA, yet he doesn't accuse her, throw her out of his apartment, etc. If there's one overarching theme in this movie, it's that life is never as simple as you think. I don't usually enjoy Spike Lee movies, but I loved this one. For such a simple premise, there's a power in this movie that is undeniable.

Gives an interesting look of a post 9/11 drug dealer in New York on his last day of freedom before going to prison. Edward Norton is supported by some really good character actors like Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper and Rosario Dawson.

This is an unusual movie for Spike Lee. Its one of the few movies that he has maed that really holds your attention from start to finish and does not feature some snarky slam on white people.

Ed Norton is the star here as a yuppie who has messed his life up. Norton's yuppie is the sort of ordinary guy who most folks can identify with. Norton's character has reached a crossroads where he has three choices: Go on the lam, commit suicide or go to prison where his good looks ensure that he will be subjected to homosexual rape.

Before he makes his decision, Norton's felon wants to see 3 people: His retired fireman father, his best friend and his second best friend. There are other characters who he must deal with such as his girlfriend and some gangsters who push heroin.

In the hands of a lesser filmmaker, all of the above elements would add up to a mess. However, Spike Lee is able to balance everything together into a perfect equilibrium that results in a strong movie.

If you want to see a great movie by Spike Lee, then the 25th Hour is a great choice.

Great movie. You have doubts about it pretty much until the end. However, when you are done watching it...it hits you that the movie is just simply great.

Movie is about this man named Monty (Norton) who gets caught in his drug dealing and is sentenced to prison for 7 years. His last night, he goes out with friends, does things he wants to do, etc. He basically wants to live the best night before he goes to jail and lives a miserable life there. The other character's stories are briefly told and it works out beautifully because the movie spends just the right amount of time on each one.

Great acting. All characters pretty much played their part to the max. Plot is ok. Its not incredibly unique but it has some good elements. What makes this movie great is its ending. Also, the relationship Monty has with everyone surrounding him is excellent. It deeply shows the feelings he has for each.

Overall, its a pretty good movie. At first its a little slow and some camera angles are awkward at times, but if you want to see something a little different, i really recommend it.

I expected so much more from this movie considering the actors involved. The actors did a great job, but this film fell way short with story telling and flashbacks. There were too many flash blacks and they came at you in the wrong order.

I also hated the "multiple cuts" in the film that showed different angles of the same scene. These cuts didn't appear to be spliced together properly. It was simply aggravating. I am not aware of the proper technical terms for "multiple cuts" nor the "mirror image" mentioned below (sorry).

The way films were scened were also annoying. The scene at the brokerage firm had a "mirror image" of some characters talking to Barry Pepper's role. It took away from the scene. I am not sure why that "mirroring" was there since there wasn't a glass partition there.

Interesting scenes: Barry Pepper at the firm, Norton and his dad in the car, and Norton looking in the mirror with his character lambasting everyone

The way the film was presented, I thought a high school student put this together. Again, the acting was very good. The story had a good premise and interesting characters, but the execution was lacking.


This film was in need of focus and direction.

Spike Lee has some great gifts as a film maker. One is his ability to create chracters the audience can identify with and the other is to make the setting a character unto itself. 25th Hour was one of the first films shot in post 9/11 New York. Lee makes full use of this, showing how one city can play a big role in people's lives.

But 25th Hour is not about 9/11. 25th Hour is about friendship. It is about redemption. It is about uncertainty in the future. The film stars Edward Norton as a generally good man who unfortunately engaged in illegal activity and got caught. The film takes place on the final day before he is to serve his sentence and flashes back to the moments that led to his fate. We find him accepting of his fate, only questioning who and what led him to this moment. There is a brilliantly directed, much discussed scene where Norton is cursing the people of NYC, his friends, then finally himself as he stares at a reflection in a mirror. This is one of the single greatest scenes that define a character within a film.

This film has a brilliant script that focuses heavily not only on Norton, but two of his contrasting friends, played brilliantly by Barry Pepper and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Pepper is a sly Wall Street man who tries to be slick and even has an equation for his likelihood of success with women. Hoffman, in an untypically subtle understated performance, plays a shy seemingly shameful teacher. He serves as a counterbalance to Pepper. The way these two characters discuss themselves and their friend help define 25th Hour as a beautiful character piece.

This film's defining theme of an uncertain future is emphasized by the post 9/11 backdrop. One telling scene involves Hoffman and Pepper talking about Norton's possible future while we stare out Ground Zero in a window behind them. An uncertain future indeed...

-It's hard for me to make a list of things I'd do if I had less than a day to celebrate my freedom but spending those moments with your loved ones isn't half bad. Monty's last day isn't a celebratory one though since he pretty much spends the bulk of his day making amends to people he's wronged including his dad who he doesn't see too much off and his lovely girlfriend whom he suspects of being the reason why he's in his recent predicament. The movie isn't all about Monty though since we do get to spend a lot of time with his two best friends who are very different. The teacher played by Hoffman has very strong feelings for one of his students and deals with that problem face on during the club scene. The Wall Street friend played by Pepper is the brash hot headed young man that has a thing for Norton's girl and he also deals with that problem in his own unique way in the club scene as well. If memory serves me right I believe that club scene is where a lot of the problems in the movie get worked out from Monty finding out who pinched him to Jacob dealing with his feelings for his young student

-Beniof said he got the inspiration for the story after he heard about two brothers that decided to cut up their faces before they went to jail in order to look ugly so they don't get raped. There is a similar scene like that in this movie and needless to say it is one of the best scenes in the movie or even better yet one of the best scenes to ever hit the silver screen. In that one great scene all the bottled up feeling the friends have towards each other comes out and they finally say to each other what the other has always wanted to say which ends up provoking Pepper to in fact make Norton ugly. It's a very powerful scene in the movie and I really love the decision to pull out the sound of Pepper crying because it does make the scene a lot better. Great moments like that are spread throughout the movie and I think the other noticeably great scene is the "f**k montage" which is Norton pretty much going off on every ethnic and high class person in NY. The reason why that hateful scene works so well is that in the end he turns the table on himself and curses himself out for severely screwing up. Plus the scene at the end when the varied ethnic groups smile at him is also a nice way of letting the audiences know that he's taken back all those mean stuff he said.

-When Monty is being driven to jail towards the end of the movie there's this little haunting monologue by Brian Cox in which he explains how Monty's life would be like if he didn't go to jail and that's one scene in the movie where everything comes to together beautifully. The cinematography has this dream quality to it that makes everything look poetic and Brian Cox' voice narrates the whole sequence whiles being accompanied by a great piece by Terrence Blanchard. That great low key stuff he writes is the highlight of that scene because as great as the narration by Cox is and as beautiful as the cinematography is in the end it all comes down to the music which really shines here. The music he plays for the "f**k montage" is a great one too and in keeping with tradition with that Copeland style it is very removed from what you'd expect. With it being such an angry scene you'd expect the music to be the same but instead he goes for the smooth jazz approach which makes the scene more powerful than if he had gone with some loud horns and guitars. Blanchard is a great treasure to the film music world and I hope someday more people join me in giving him the praise he deserves.

-Of Monty's entire friends the one that sticks out and has the most memorable lines is Barry Pepper. He is the most honest of the bunch and asks questions that we all want to ask but are too chicken to like why women cry after having great sex. He's that friend you have who will go and grab a girl's bum if you dared him to do and we all know friends like that are the best to have around. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is great as the whiny friend that has his own little demons to conquer. Hoffman plays the shy introvert type very nicely and whiles he's not a scene stealer like Pepper he's still pretty good in the movie. Norton himself does a great job as Monty and he along with Pepper were two people I felt were greatly snubbed by the academy. The "f**k montage" alone should have given him a nod. Rosario Dawson and Mentalcritic's favorite Anna Paquin are great in the movie but there are not enough scenes with them to really stand out but it was still nice to see the two gorgeous women on the screen. Another person that should have gotten a nod was Lee for making this great movie. I know he's not the most popular filmmaker in the world but the man is one of the best and I strongly believe that he along with Norton, Pepper, and Blanchard should have received a nod.

-If you hate Spike Lee then you will hate this movie I guess for those of us with an open mind this should provide for some amazing movie moments

`25th Hour' is truly one of the greatest films to surface in 2002, a year that up until this week I rendered as the year the movies died. That's for another discussion, maybe I'll make a "So you'd like to know" list to discuss that one. Anyways, having just seen this film I am still on a high sort-of-speak, still reeling off of the energy produced with each passing frame. Supported strongly by powerful performances by the entire cast, `25th Hour' delivers a unique premise and a thought provoking script glossed up nicely by Spike Lee's brilliant direction.

The brilliant Edward Norton delivers yet another award worthy performance as drug dealer Monty Brogan. Monty has just hit a strode of bad luck for a tip to the police has landed him an eight year stint in prison, and now, on his last night of freedom he endeavors to find the one responsible. Among the few he suspects is his stunning girlfriend Naturelle (Rosario Dawson), one of the only people who knew where he hid his drugs. At his aid are his best friend's Frank (Barry Pepper) and teacher Jacob (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who is battling his own demons as he pines over his underage student Mary (Anna Paquin).

Its one night, but so much can happen in that one night. What makes this film so brilliant is its rich character development. Each main character has their own baity scene as it could be called, a scene that defines their role in the film and showcases their own plights. Edward Norton's scene comes early on, his "F*** you" monologue in the bathroom which is delivered in a way only Norton could deliver it. Hoffman's comes next, in the club, where he goes against his own better judgment and makes a pass at Anna. As he walks away from her his face reads all kinds of controlled emotions. Lastly, and most effective, comes Barry's defining moment, a scene towards the end of the film where he reluctantly carries out Monty's last request of him. Just watch out for it, it threw me for a loop.

Flawlessly orchestrated, `25th Hour' is a prime example of how a movie can be done right. From the moment Monty stumbles upon the `Bull Pitt' to the scene where he's driving towards the prison with his father James (Brian Cox) we are completely intoxicated with this well spun and brilliantly crafted drama. Adapted the screenplay from his own novel, David Benioff breathes life into his characters, giving them rich dialog to work with and delivering a fantastic script that these actors take and execute magnificently. Edward Norton has always been one of my favorite actors, a an who can take any role and make it memorable, and Monty Brogan is no exception.

I realize from the outset that Spike Lee did not in fact write this film, but, this is easily his smartest and most watchable films since Mo' Better or School Daze (Do The Right Thing was too heavy handed IMHO). A true character study, this film is smart and doesnt pander, while allowing you, the viewer, to simply learn and enjoy on your own. Edward Norton, as usual, shines in his role, bringing a depth of feeling to the role that few could, while Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Barry Papper add to the film by showing their own characters depth....but not detracting from the main story. If you're looking for a smart film, that tries to be more than an network TV series with curse words and sex...and succeeds, then you cant go wrong with this film.

Kudos to Spike Lee whose deft directorial touch and aided by stellar acting performances created a poignant ode to a criminal Monty Brogan possessed with a large measure of sensitivity. Brogan played by the intensely talented Edward Norton is a drug dealer caught by the feds with a major stash and sentenced to seven years of prison.

"25th Hour" chronicles Monty's last day of freedom before he must surrender to start serving his sentence. Accompanied by his best friends Frank played by Barry Pepper and Jacob played by Philip Seymour Hoffman and his gorgeous and caring girlfriend Naturelle played by the alluring Rosario Dawson, they spend one last night together. Norton is forced to re-examine his life through his friendship and relationships. He must relinquish the privileges that his illicit lifestyle had afforded him. He reconnects with his father played by Brian Cox, who although distant throughout Monty's life demonstrates his love for his son.

Norton and Hoffman, whose reputations have already been firmly established, did not disappoint with their portrayals. Barry Pepper, however was especially terrific in his role as Frank Slaughtery, a Wall Street trading cowboy with close brotherly bonds to his long time friend Monty. Tony Siragusa playing Monty's bodyguard Kostya, with a ridiculous Russian accent should stick to his day job, football.

Spike Lee concludes his film with a really brilliant ending that leaves you wondering.

I guess I'm in the minority here - but I really didn't care for this movie. The irony was pretty striking...in parts of the movie, you are reminded of the post 9-11 climate and the sacrifices others have made for our freedom. Then you have a lead character like Monty that is completely unlikeable and undeserving of the breaks he has received. It was hard to feel any empathy for him (even saving the dog wasn't enough for me). Here is somebody who has made poor choices and is now getting punished for it. But what does the movie do? 99% of the supporting characters feel sorry for Monty and whine about how it isn't right that he is going away. He never acknowledges what he did was wrong, he seems to feel bad that he got caught, that's all.
To me, it looks like Spike Lee wanted to support his hometown after 9-11 and rushed this movie into production. Even though the parts were well acted by all, they were still unrealistic, unlikeable characters with a fragmented, slow plot. I enjoyed Lee's films "Do the Right Thing" and "Bamboozled" much more.

If you're an Ed Norton fan, this is a must-see for you! My favorite scene is the bathroom mirror monologue (only he could have nailed that scene so perfectly). I'm not a Spike Lee fan, but this was definitely an improvement for him. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Barry Pepper were perfectly cast for their roles and Rosario Dawson did a superb job as supporting actress. I was disappointed that Brian Cox didn't have a bigger role, but he played the father part well as usual. There are a lot of underlying issues in the film that you are caught during a second viewing. Overall, great movie. If nothing else, watch it to see Ed Norton in a "riverting" performance.

With the release of 25th Hour, Spike Lee has been blamed for `going middle of the road'; for `going white', for `going Hollywood'. The film has also been accused of being too slow, too atmospheric, too indulgent, with no plot. Of course, it was only two years before that Lee's previous creation, `Bamboozled', was blamed for being too provocative, too racially focused, too in-your-face, and with too many contrived plot turns. It seems he just can't win these days; it seems quite obvious to me that these two films, very different though they are, are his best creations in a long time - since 1992's `Malcolm X' at least - and both are fantastic and original films, among my favorites.

It's true that there is very little going on in `25th Hour', but a lot is happening beneath the surface; while it raises none of the racial issues we may somehow expect from Lee, it's a very powerful - if subtle - social commentary, about post-9/11 New York City. Other than being the first major piece of fiction to refer to the disaster from a personal viewpoint, and that much can be seen from the beautiful montage of footage from the WTC monument that follows the moody opening scene. Lee's approach to this difficult and provocative subject is very real and very personal, and it's clearly from the viewpoint of a real New-Yorker. And although Ground Zero at WTC serves mainly as a backdrop and the attack is referred to directly only once in the film, it's hard not to see the important connection between the story of New York's disaster, and the personal disaster of New Yorker Monty Brogan.

25th Hour is as much an achievement for Spike Lee as it is for lead actor Edward Norton; and I consider it the final piece in a trilogy of fantastic films that clearly based Norton as one of the leading actors of his generation, a rise that began four years earlier with American History X and Fight Club (sadly, Norton has not again fulfilled his potential since 25th Hour, but I'm still waiting to see what he has to offer). Norton's portrayal of Monty Brogan is moving and complex; Brogan is a drug dealer, but he's not necessarily a bad guy - he's a man who made some bad decisions, and is now paying for them. And even though Norton is supported by a fantastic, first rate cast - one that includes Brian Cox, Rosario Dawson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper and Anna Paquin - it's clearly his show, and he makes the most of it. Norton brings Monty to life as a classic anti-hero, and he's as fascinating a protagonist as the characters he played in Fight Club and American History X. 25th Hour is an atmospheric and intense character study, and Norton's performance makes it perfect.

That can be seen most clearly in the infamous mirror monologue, which was attacked most vigorously by the film's critics, and hailed most enthusiastically by its supporters. That scene harks back to a very similar scene that Lee did many years before in his celebrated masterpiece `Do The Right Thing', but it provokes a very different meaning. Like the scene in `Do The Right Thing', the mirror scene is a perfect example of one of the things I love most about Lee as a director, and one that constantly angers his critics, is his uncompromising approach for provocation and straightforwardness; Lee never felt any need to be too subtle or to dodge artfully around painful subjects like racism, and in this scene he tackles the problems of post-9/11 head on, and with no fear of stirring things up. It's a powerful and difficult scene, one of the boldest made in recent years, and by itself it makes the film memorable.

25th Hour is poetry; if it sometimes seems slow, it's because the important action is all below the surface, in the soul of Monty Brogan, and in all the lost souls of New York City. It's probably the most atmospheric piece Lee has pulled, but it's a beautiful work, and is well recommended for fans of Lee's and Norton's both. It's an unnerving and unsettling experience, but well worth the admission.

This movie about real people and real life.
It is NY as it is.
Edward Norton is THE BEST OF THE BEST.
Do not miss it.

I just can't believe how bad of a director this guy is. Someone needs to sit him down and have a little conversation with him as to what it takes to direct a movie, and then explain to him why it's only now he's being told this.

Why does Spike Lee still not understand the concept of pacing in a movie? How can he not know this? He's been making movies for quite awhile now, how can something so fundamental still escape him? WTF! The least you can expect from a movie is to not want to cause violence towards the director after seeing it, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel like that.

The script itself is fine, and in the hands of a competent director, probably would've been an above average movie, if not great. But since this was made by Spike Lee, of course the movie plods along like a snail taking a sight-seeing tour in the grass, and you wanna just smash him over the head and tell him to move it already. The thread of the story is not crisp or focused, it just so happens to have Edward Norton in the scenes, but there's no other connecting factor. As an example, someone please tell me the purpose of the teacher and his little deal with Anna Paquin and her annoying character. Why even introduce that into the story if you're not GOING ANYWHERE WITH IT! Spike Lee's the master of the unfinished subplot!

This movie has very bad pacing, as there's no point or sense of purpose to the story they're trying to tell you. I can't compare this with movies with bad story lines (which this doesn't have actually), because at least in those cases, the movie moved along and made progress, had an agenda, and accomplished it, 1,2,3. This movie just kinda stopped at 1 and hung around until the credits were rolling.

Spike needs to just stop it already, he's not good at this. His movies make me want to punch him.

just watched the movie. excelenttay!!!. very good. but not to buy. but rent this right now, as soon as you are done reading this!! but, for-warning. this is a movie, for intellagent real smart wise people, who don't really need to know a lot about people to know who they are. this is a bit of a fast paced movie. what's cool is yeah, it's mainly about edward nortons character, but instead of just seeing him the whole movie, you learn about the people in his life and their issues not even really realizing they are all conected. and uh the rouge chick from x-men, is so gooddarn seexxxzeeeee!!! oh yes, you can tell she knows how to screw!!! oh yeah! she's hot, just to see her alone in this film makes it worth it. all the acting by everyone in this movie is great. and also what's cool is it will mislead you. i'll leave it at that so as not to give away to much, but it makes you see it from a hidden characters veiw, and your like whoah, i thought wrong. but what makes this not the movie to buy for me, is just the ending. it's great and everything, nothing wrong with it, speaks some very good truths, and some very sweet dreams, it just made it not quite for my owning pleasure, you might like it, so that's cool. but if you are like me and looking for that one good film with edward nortan in it, get AMERICAN HISTORY X!!! great movie. peace you mofos!!!

The book was great, and because the movie remained fairly true to the novel, it is of just as high a caliber. Great actors (some pretty famous ones) and a plot that kept me interested from start to finish. Worth the time and the money, especially if you were a fan of the novel.

As ever Edward Norton is superb in this excellent film of friendship and redemption that ultimately asks the question, What is Justice?

Not his absolute best, but real close. 25th hour drops any preaching and politics (OK, maybe a little, but it's done in an attention-getting way) and just tells a story. Norton and Pepper are superb, Hoffman and Dawson great and everyone else very good as well. No real plot? Maybe, but it's riveting just the same. Worth checking out more than once!

I am not a big Spike Lee fan. To tell you the truth, I've never seen one of his movies besides this one. And I didn't even know he made this...all I did was rent it for Edward Norton, one of the best actors of the decade. Well, Spike Lee did a very nice job in this movie. 5 star worthy..maybe..but the effort is there to boost it.
The cast is definitely a positive sign in this movie with Edward Norton and Philip Seymour Hoffman playing their roles perfectly.
The movie's about Monty, a guy living in New York with a beautiful girlfriend, nice friends and a sweet dog. The opening sequence shows Monty saving this dog's life in a touching moment. But Monty also sells drugs. He makes money off it but lately has been stopping. One thing that I trully appreciate about this movie is that there is no drug usage whatsoever. Nada! It's all about that but unlike most movies, this movie only shows what's necessary and that is something very rare and I trully appreciate it.
Monty is caught though and is sentenced to 7 years in prison. He basically lives out his last 25 hours for a long time as a free man. The audience is one of his friends too..we follow him around town as he is about to be caged up. It's a very sad movie and very powerful movie. The part where he talks to himself in the mirror is one of the most powerful sequences that I have ever seen.

Everyone plays their role perfectly and the realism of the movie is stunning. The visuals are perfect and the story development is continuous. The ending is touching and this movie remains as one of the most powerful of the last 20 or so years.
It's a movie that everyone should see because it has an inner message and is a wonderful critique of our society.
Edward Norton once again takes a rough role and is stunning. He trully is one of the best actors to watch.
25th hour is a success...a powerful, geniously conceived movie that is one tough but true 2 hours.

I'm NOT a fan of Spike Lee at all and had I known this was one of his movies, I NEVER would have rented it. However, I now take that back because this movie is amazing. I've had this movie on my "list" for years and finally got around to renting it. Not to ruin it but the best scene of the entire movie, and that moved me to tears, is a key moment between Ed Norton and Barry Pepper towards the end. Barry Pepper does an absolutley amazing job in this movie. I think Ed Norton is a superb actor but I didn't think he was right for this role. But his dad was great, that was another touching story line. And the dog, as an animal lover, that got me too. Highly recommend this movie.

People who stay away from Spike Lee's movies because they are turned off by his off-screen commentaries are missing a lot, and every movie lovers should definitely check this one out if he/she has not already done so. Spike Lee is yet to make a bad movie, but this is quite possibly the most impressive. I disagree with another reviewer who wrote this movie made him/her feel sorry for a drug dealer. This movie does not ask you feel sympathy for the drug dealer or his circumstances; instead, it overwhelms you with the grief and despiration of a father who regrets having let his son lose his way. This is not only a technically superb movie but also a compelling human story. The last 10-minute or so part of this movie is the most beautiful and memorable sequence I have seen in years. This is a real gem.

I have to admit to never having seen any Spike Lee film before but if this film is anything to go by I will be certainly catching up. The film is set in a very short space of time and it wraps you up in the plot and makes you feel sorry for someone who ultimately dealt drugs. The cast is amazing and very realistic I thought. I usually get a bit impatient with long films but I didn't even notice it, until later, that the film was over 2 hours.

It was a great movie that exceeded my expectations. Greatly written, although a little overdramatic at times. Nevertheless, Spike Lee enabled you to go inside the mind of the characters, the choices that were made and the consequences of their actions. It explored human nature in its simplicity and complexity. It is a movie that I would watch again and analyze. It also played tribute to New York City. It is a very refreshing movie compared to what is out in the theaters, with great actors and great direction. There is a reason why Edward Norton picked this movie - because it is a great movie. However, if you are interested in mindless action or trite comedies, it is not for you.

25th hour was an excellent movie. The acting was tremendous (as with most Edward Norton films). The movie kept you wanting to know more and I never lost focus or got bored. I can't think of one thing I did not enjoy about this movie. It had every feature a good movie requires. The story is very intersting and showed the final hours before Monty Brogan (Edward Norton) goes to prsion for seven years. He tries to regain connection with his father before going to prison and spends time with his two best friends. There is a girl involved who is the leading question of who ratted on Monty. The whole movie is suspensful and entertaining, not a dull moment. A must buy.

I watched this blind. I missed all the hype of it's theatrical release so, maybe that helped me enjoy the film? But, I must say this is amazing. I am not going to fill this review with all of my experience or know how. For a major North American release this is a modern master piece! The only reason I can think of why not to like this would be high or different expectations. Blame media hype. You can't really expect something from a film you haven't seen...It is simply put: Not art but drama

First i suggest everybody read the two spotlight reviews by Roland E Zwick and Mark D Burgh. What one leaves out, the other mentions.

The movie is about the day before Monty goes to jail. He goes through alot mentally in this apprehension of his dramatic life change only a few hours away. Who turned me in? Does she really love me? Will she be around when I get out? Who are my real friends? Who can I trust? Why didn't I just stop when I had the money to move and start a clean life somewhere else? How bad is prison really going to be? So much more than just this though.

All the characters are so rich. Through Monty's memories we see detail of characters. And through their dialogue with each other we see their own internal conflicts. Even the few minutes spent on the top Russian Mobster shows him with a history and understanding on the world and prison.

They're all going through something you don't really want to go through, but you're sure to identify with one of them. As far as what would you do in this situation?

Apparently some people had some issues with the fantasy bit at the end of the movie. I think this is just another thing that is bound to go through your head if you were in Monty's position, or his father's. Should I just go? Just go away, change my name...etc. All that at the very last minute. The fear of having to report to prison for a 7 year sentence when you could just as easily "say the word" and your pop will take the George Washington Bridge and drive off to the west.
No, face the consequences. Be a man. Own up to what you've done.
These are the natural thoughts anybody would have in this situation and I commend Benioff for being this real.

I must commend Spike Lee for presenting this so beautifully, and the remarkable, tasteful use of Ground Zero as a backdrop done in a way that only a New Yorker could. This really might be the best film Lee has made.

I could probably indulge in symbolism in the film, but I don't want to spoil anything. Its beautiful the way it is.