The 25th Hour (2002)
Note: Some
spoilers must be used to discuss this amazing film.
From the beginning, Spike Lee lets
you know that this isn't his typical Spike Lee Joint.
He's not presenting an "African- American" movie about
black characters and black issues. He has recently
moved into telling stories about other issues as well
and his film "Summer of Sam" acted as proof that he
was capable of being more than just what we stereotypically
call a "black filmmaker." Not that these labels mean
anything anyway.
With "The 25th Hour" Lee also reminds
us that he is a New York filmmaker. "The 25th Hour"
is a New York film. Not to mention an American one
as well. And perhaps it is also the first, single
most important movie about America in the post-9/11
world. A film like that could only come from New York.
Lee, working well from David Benioff's
script in turn based on his own novel, creates a microcosm
that reflects the entirety of this "new America."
This is a story about freedom, guilt, regret, despair,
hope and crime. What could be more American? What
could better reflect America than the spirit of the
country, filtered through the eyes of NYC in these
post 9/11 days?
Lee starts with a typical credits
sequence that offers images of night time NYC while
slow jazz plays. It's a very mainstream beginning
to a film that often seems mainstream. But the issues,
the stories and the moments that Lee gives us here
are anything but typical and mainstream.
Lee uses many devices his fans will
recognize. The "moving sidewalk" close-ups where a
character glides through a setting appears twice here.
Lee also edits the film with a cutting technique that
often has a single incident repeating two or three
times. This commonly occurs when people do some small
action, like close a car trunk, or hug upon meeting.
In doing this Lee plays with time and the nature of
time. It is a quick jolt reminder of how precious
time is, how precious moments are. And this is paramount
to the theme here.
We all know that the film stars
Edward Norton as a young man experiencing his last
24 hours of freedom before he begins a prison term.
But this story widens to include all the questions
of existence one might expect from a story about someone
ending their life. Going to prison is indeed the seeming
end of life for Norton's Monty.
Norton's friends are played by Barry
Pepper and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, his girlfriend
is Rosario Dawson, his father is Bryan Cox. The following
of these characters through this important 24 hour
time period leads us to stories about lust, fear,
angst, greed, work ethic, regret, and so much more.
Again, this is a reflection of America. This is a
reflection of existence.
Lee and Benioff see a world changed,
because America is now into its own sort of 25th hour,
so the 9/11 theme works well in this arena. The way
Lee ties this story to all of our stories, to the
story of America, is simply amazing. We see how precious
time is. We see how precious life is. We see how important
friends and lovers and families are. This film isn't,
however, a celebration of life; it's a punctuation
of regret that in turn enunciates life. It's a reminder
of just how much time we lose over inconsequential
things. This isn't a celebration of life, it's a denouncement
of the wasting of life, of the wasting of time.
The first stand-out moment comes
when Norton goes into a public restroom and looks
at his image in a mirror. On the mirror, someone has
written "Fuck You." Norton engages in a monologue
that is as racist as any ever captured on film. In
this harsh, angry, and blunt diatribe, punctuated
by Lee's moving still photos of the nationalities
mentioned, we see New York. We see America. Norton's
anger is the last gasp of racism. It is the spit of
a man who is facing his demise. Norton gets out all
the bile that has held America in check for centuries
now. It is an astounding film moment. Because, when
racism is revealed, when it is enunciated, truth suddenly
appears. The racism blows the smoke of self-deceptive
bullshit away and we see a man looking for others
to blame for his misfortunes. We see a man angry and
looking for someone to blame. But in the unflinching,
unending gaze of the reality of the mirror, the facade
crumbles. The racist's anger and blame comes bouncing
back at his own face. He has no one to blame but himself.
"The 25th Hour" moves slowly and
steadily to its amazing climax. One that is as inevitable,
yet as surprisingly unforeseen, as that in "Sophie's
Choice." Norton's Monty must do what he does yet the
climax is so amazing, so brutal, so angry and intense,
watching it is almost devastating. Pepper and Hoffman
support Norton in a scene of pure amazement. Pepper
turns this scene into one of the most important climaxes
ever filmed and Lee's camera captures it from a wise
and mournful distance that is simply heartbreaking,
raw and honest.
And then there is the epilogue.
Cox's narrates what becomes one of the most beautiful
and poetics endings to a film that I've ever seen.
His riff off into the future of Norton's character
acts as every father's hope, as every father's dream.
His poetic musings become the equivalent of the American
Dream. Filled with hope and despair, love and pain,
it is intense and poignant.
In the 25th hour, there is regret
and responsibility and sorrow and submission to the
truth, but more importantly, there is hope. Norton
shares a beautiful and silent moment with a young
black boy towards the end of the film and in that
subtle moment a connection begins, a bridge is built.
Norton's Monty isn't a racist. He isn't angry. He's
truly ready to be reborn. He has resigned all his
hurt and anger and bitterness and found himself alive
at the dawn ready to begin again. His possibilities
seem limitless - quite an amazing thing to say about
a man headed to prison for seven years.
"The 25th Hour" may very well be
the most important film made about America since the
9/11 tragedy. It is only fitting that it ends with
a prayer for a son, a prayer for the future, a prayer
for new beginnings. With hope. And a new day begun.
As we reflect on all that has been
offered us, perhaps the most American of balladeers,
Bruce Springsteen, sings a song. And the theater lights
fade up... and we are anew.
The 25th hour has begun...
Notes:
Also with Anna Pacquin. DJ Cipha
Sounds plays DJ Dusk and that is really his mixing
heard on the amazing soundtrack.
Pepper accidentally broke Norton's
nose shooting a fight scene.
The score by Terrance Blanchard
has been nominated for some awards. The powerful version
of Springsteen's "The Fuse" used over the end credits
features added orchestrations by Blanchard.
Viewed in Pflugerville in January,
2003.
