Though I'm not a fan of Spike Lee myself, I can appreciate his talent in bringing provocative and compelling stories to the big screen. It appears he's done it again with "25th Hour". I'm always on my guard going into one of his pictures because I'm expecting an agenda. The scene that started to bother me a lot before it was over was Monty's (Edward Norton) bathroom mirror soliloquy, a Spike Lee rant that leaves political correctness in the dust and skewers virtually every ethnic identity there is. But when it was over, Monty comes to an undeniable conclusion - he 'f....d' up all on his own. I felt better when that came out, the concept of personal responsibility seems to be retreating further and further behind in an era obsessed with getting and having it all. So for Lee to call attention to it isn't a bad thing to my mind. He seems to be kicking slackers, malcontents, and common street thugs in the butt with a wisdom that takes some folks many years to come to grips with. Yes, the film deals with it's share of desperation and futility, and a nod to the spirit of a city devastated by the events of 9/11. However the imagery of removing the rubble from our own lives is a powerful one, and Lee seems to be a master at that. Once again, Edward Norton turns in a stellar performance. Of the crop of modern (not so young anymore) actors, he's right up there at the top of the heap. He gets strong support here from Pepper, Dawson, Paquin and Cox, and a truly conflicted performance from Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Review of 25th Hour
