MOVIE - 25TH HOUR - Review Rating $$$$$ $$1/2 (OUT OF 10)

STARRING- Edward Norton (Monty), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Jacob), Barry Pepper (Frank), Rosario Dawson (Naturelle), Anna Paquin (Mary) & Brian Cox (Father).

DIRECTOR- Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Bamboozled, Summer of Sam)

Based on the novel, The 25th Hour, by David Benioff who also wrote the screenplay.

25th Hour is the story of how a drug dealer spends his last 24 hours before going to jail for 7 years.

There is much to like and dislike about 25th Hour. First the bad news. I have criticized numerous other movies for fatal plot holes and it would be unfair if I didn't apply the same standard to 25th Hour.

The movie would have you believe that when an accused individual is convicted and sentenced for a crime they are allowed to go home and say their goodbyes. This simply isn't so. Thus, the entire movie is based on a false premise.

The second major problem with the movie is Spike Lee's direction. There is no doubt that Lee is very talented and unafraid of tackling difficult subject matter. The problem, from my perspective, is that Lee always seeks to remind you that he is directing. I personally prefer a lighter touch.

25th Hour is also on the long side and loses it momentum every now and then. It could have easily been 1/2 hour shorter. A little editing would have greatly increased the tension of this lengthy last day.

If you can overlook the above there is enough in 25th Hour to justify the trip to the cineplex.

Perhaps the major accomplishment of 25th Hour is that by the end of the movie you actually care about Monty the drug dealer (Norton). The sympathy for the devil derives from Monty's mildly tragic life history, his genuine remorse and the recognition that he will truly pay for his crimes. The old saying "There but for the Grace of God go I" is very apt in these circumstances. 25th Hour makes the point that Monty's life (and others like him) may not have only been much different, if things had turned out differently, but that the path ultimately chosen culminates in a wasted life.

25th Hour is to be commended for not glorifying a life of crime and reinforcing the notion of personal responsibility. The best scene in the whole movie is when Monty attempts to blame everyone else for his problems only to conclude, in the end, that he has no one to blame but himself.

The last day of Monty's freedom also provides the opportunity for character development. Norton is in much better form here than he was as a former F.B.I. agent in Red Dragon. The movie starts in the present and goes both forward and flashes back to the past. In the process Norton is required to flip back and forth between regret and cockiness. The two sides of the character are both equally deftly portrayed. Philip Seymour Hoffman (Monty's friend) and veteran actor Brian Cox (Monty's Father), in particular, turn in excellent supporting performances. The rest of the cast, including rising young star Paquin, give fine performances but their contribution is limited by the script which doesn't quite pay enough attention to fully developing their characters.

If you have a few spare hours take the time to see 25th Hour, a modern day Shakespearean tragedy.

Alternative Reviews:

Roger Ebert's Review

Private Joker's Review

Daniel Kasman's Review

Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

Running time: 132 minutes

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