Hudson Reporter Archive

Just in time for 25th Hour Spike Lee succeeds in flick about life, choices

If your world was about to end in 24 hours, what would you do? That is what New York filmmaker Spike Lee examines in his latest effort 25th Hour. The often controversial and talented director famous for Do the Right Thing and Summer of Sam avoids strong racial issues in 25th Hour, and settles with a plot about a guy who runs out of luck – and free time.

The protagonist, Monty Brogan (Edward Norton), is a former drug dealer who is ratted out by a close friend. He is sentenced to seven years in federal prison, and the movie is Brogan’s journey through his last day as a free man. Brogan uses his 24 hours to make peace with his friends, family, business associates and himself. He spends time with his two close friends – Jakob (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a high school teacher with a crush on his adolescent student, and Frank (Barry Pepper), a judgmental Wall Street broker with an attitude.

But as we find out, going to prison is not Brogan’s only choice. He can either flee the authorities and live in obscurity forever, or kill himself. Despite the movie’s unresolved ending, the audience is left with a pretty good idea about which path Brogan is going to choose.

The movie moves slowly in the beginning. There’s plenty of strong and dramatic dialogue to go around, which allows for the supporting cast to shine. Brogan, despite being the focus of the movie, is not the film’s most interesting character. Brogan’s girlfriend Naturelle (Rosario Dawson) is a troubled insecure young woman who will have to live without the man she loves. The film flashes back to the time when the two met, which reinforces to the audience why Brogan is loyal to her. She is accused throughout the film of being the reason for Brogan’s decline, yet she continues to support her boyfriend during his tough times.

25th Hour has two scenes that leave a lasting impression. In the first scene, Monty rants about every New York City stereotype culture using the "F" word for about six-minutes in the restroom of his father’s bar. The scene almost did not make the movie due to its strong violent language.

The next scene occurs in Frank’s apartment. Frank and Jakob discuss their relationship with Brogan while staring at the grim former site of the World Trade Center. During this scene we discover the complexities of the supporting characters, since they expose their weaknesses to each other.

The film is definitely for viewers who enjoy cinematic dramatic sequences. The payoff at the end is worthwhile. Lee manages to provide a cathartic experience while not condoning the protagonist’s mistakes. 25th Hour is not a happy movie, but its universal topics about life and death are well treated.

Touchstone Pictures’ 25th Hour is two hours and 14 minutes. It stars Norton, Pepper, Dawson Hoffman, and Brian Cox. It is based on the novel The 25th Hour by David Benioff. It is rated R, and it is currently playing at limited engagements in major cities. q

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