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25TH HOUR Send This Review to a Friend
Edward Norton is such a fine actor that every film he's in these days merits special attention. "25th Hour" also is directed by Spike Lee, which adds further interest. Norton plays a desperate Monty Brogan, who is spending his last hours of freedom before showing up to fulfill a seven-year prison sentence for drug dealing. His performance is absolutely riveting, more so than the film as a whole.
There are various individuals with whom Brogan can pass the precious time. Foremost is his girlfriend, Naturelle, nicely played by Rosario Dawson, a woman whom he loves but begins to suspect may have ratted on him. He has his buddies from school days, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Barry Pepper, and there's also his father (Brian Cox), with whom there are issues to work out. Lurking are the Russian drug-dealing gangsters with a hold on Brogan. Anna Paquin has a sexy, teasing turn as a high school student whose teacher is hot for her.
The screenplay, written by David Benioff based on his novel, raises credibility questions in that the authorities seem to be giving Brogan plenty of leeway, allowing him to report to prison upstate by himself. Such easygoing for a drug dealer doesn't seem very likely. On the other hand, the film has a strong sense of place as it is set in New York and Spike Lee is expert at providing a feeling of authenticity. This is especially true for "25th Hour," as it acknowledges the aftermath of 9/11.
Norton pulls us into Brogan's world convincingly. He projects angst for what lies ahead, defined by his fear of prison life and his worry about his vulnerability, to the point of wanting to be badly beaten to make himself less attractive to those who might want to rape him. He expresses determination to learn the truth about his being sold out, and ever present is a sadness that makes him sympathetic.
But on the downside, the milieu that he moves in is not a very interesting one. It's the performance that counts more than the story or the situation. How will it all work out? Flights of fancy are depicted to portray Brogan's options as the prison hour approaches, but there is no good choice for the predicament he is in. "25th Hour" is a reputable latest achievement for Lee, but the film really belongs to the ever-more remarkable Edward Norton. A Touchtone Pictures release.
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