Spike Lee’s “25th Hour” tells the story of a man with one day of freedom before heading off to prison, and it strikes an emotional chord of the most complex nature, embodies the mood of New York City in the months after 9/11, paints a visually stunning narrative and reaches out to people of all sorts by examining their common regrets.
Edward Norton plays Monty Brogan in a spot-on performance. Monty is confident, but understated in his emotions, only occasionally going over the top when the film absolutely demands of it. In his dwindling freedom, he sees his achievements vanishing, he begins to question his friendships and he blames the world in the process. Lee stages an absolutely wrenching scene in which Monty stares into a bathroom mirror with a certain four letter word printed on it. His reflection yells back the most profane, insulting, hurtful comments about New York and everyone in it, and imagine the hit we take when he steps back and realizes that in this moment of passion, we are to blame for it all.
The cops discover drugs in his house, and Monty suspects his girlfriend Naturelle (Rosario Dawson) may have turned him in. Monty’s father James (Brian Cox) blames himself for being too distant after the death of Monty’s mother, and we can sense the pity Monty feels. His friends, one a Russian mobster, another a high school English teacher and the third a wealthy ladies man, are all somewhat untrustworthy in Monty’s mind, but no more untrustworthy than any normal person.
Here is a film that is not just content with how Monty feels about his friends or about the world, but about how his friends feel about him, how his friends feel about the world and how the world feels about the rest of the world. “25th Hour” is such a multi-layered film in terms of its character development, and it’s all put to good work by the effortless performances.
Philip Seymour Hoffman is Jacob Elinsky, the nervous English teacher with an unhealthy crush on his underage and bluntly flirtatious student Mary (Anna Paquin). It’s material enough for its own movie, and yet it is included because although what transpires will in no way directly affect Monty’s chances of ending up in prison, it is a part of their relationship, their goodbyes and their fear that even if Monty does get out of prison in seven years time, nothing will ever be the same.
Monty’s best friend Frank (Barry Pepper) is most aware of this fact. He talks a big game and addresses his most looming concerns head on (there is some brilliant symbolism to the theme of Frank’s character given his penthouse lookout over Ground Zero, an extra element Lee added to the screenplay that was absent from David Benioff’s original novel). He too is tested in his ability to help his friend face his fate. A climactic scene in which Monty asks Frank for one final favor is one of the most visceral and brutal moments ever in a human character drama.
I give “25th Hour” that high level of praise because the film is masterfully stylized by Lee. His bold statements about politics and race are some of Lee’s most common criticisms and stereotypes, but critics forget his use of impressive cinematic style and flair. Watch the fluid camera movement, aggressive editing, pitch perfect scoring and the fantastical staging of the characters, and you can sense the poetry of Lee’s work does not come solely from his words. A dance scene in a crowded club, a peculiar moment of fleeting desire and romance and a shocking dream sequence are some of the film’s absolute highlights because of how wonderfully imaginative, original and compelling they are.
“25th Hour” is a modern masterpiece of character development and storytelling. Few films are as remarkably insightful to the world around us and simultaneously entrancing in their visual charms. The precious few that share these qualities are Spike Lee’s other films.
4 stars