Starring: Edward Norton, Barry Pepper, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin Directed By: Spike Lee Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD ESRB Age Rating: Teen Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Walt Disney Video Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: May 20, 2003 Running Time: 135 minutes Theatrical Release Date: January 10, 2003
Description: Academy Award(R)-nominee Edward Norton (Best Actor, 1999, AMERICAN HISTORY X) heads an amazing all-star cast in the critically acclaimed Spike Lee (SUMMER OF SAM, DO THE RIGHT THING) film 25th HOUR. In 24 short hours Monty Brogan (Norton) goes to prison for seven long years. Once a king of Manhattan, Monty is about to say good-bye to the life he knew -- a life that opened doors to New York's swankest clubs but also alienated him from the people closest to him. In his last day on the outside, Monty tries to reconnect with his father (Brian Cox, THE BOURNE IDENTITY), and gets together with two old friends, Jacob (Philip Seymour Hoffman, ALMOST FAMOUS) and Slaughtery (Barry Pepper, THE GREEN MILE). And then there's his girlfriend, Naturelle (Rosario Dawson, MEN IN BLACK 2), who might (or might not) have been the one who tipped off the cops. Monty's not sure of much these days, but with time running out, there are choices to be made as he struggles to redeem himself in the 25th hour.
Amazon.com: 25th Hour is a eulogy, mourning the New York of post-September 11, 2001, and the regrettable life of one of the city's least reputable citizens. Monty Brogan (Edward Norton) isn't a bad guy--in fact he's a mensch, adopting a battered dog in the film's mood-setting opening scene, and leading a decent life with his girlfriend (Rosario Dawson)... when he's not dealing narcotics. Facing a seven-year prison term, Monty spends his last free night with pals (Barry Pepper, Philip Seymour Hoffman) and visiting his understanding father (Brian Cox), while a Russian drug lord pressures him for getting busted. Lee directs this plotless, no-win scenario as the last gasp of a guy with nowhere to go, and the film (written by David Benioff, from his own novel) suffers from a similar loss of potential, lacking enough focus to make Monty's odyssey compelling. Instead, 25th Hour (which also costars Anna Paquin) rambles from scene to lazy scene, vaguely lamenting that lives have been wasted, some by terrorism, others by self-destruction. --Jeff Shannon
25th hour.... All the ranting in this movie make me sick, the F... word is the only thing you can hear but no substance to the story, the only part that deserve attention is at the end when Monty's dad gave him advice on how to carry on with his life after he is out jail.....I do not recomend this movie to anyone but I do respect the opinion of everybody else about this movie and I you like it or curious about it...go ahead...watch it
A Masterpiece Well I'm coming late to the party since this film came out six years ago, but better late than never. Just caught this movie for the first time on cable tv and boy am I happy I decided to watch it. This was a "oh heck, let's give this movie a shot since nothing else is on" type of movie. What a terrible loss it would have been not to see it.
I don't use the term "masterpiece" loosely. As a matter of fact I can't remember the last movie I referred to a movie as a "masterpiece." If any film deserves that title it's 25th hour. Edward Norton has to be one of the best actors of our time. The rest of the cast is sensational as well. What a brutally honest, moving tribute to the resilience of New York City and the resilience of the human spirit to endure in the face of hardship and tragedy. It's also about how the choices we make in life affect so many people around us. This film reminds me very much of Before The Devil Knows Your Dead, an amazing film as well that deals with the choices life presents us and the consequence of those choices. Not coincidentally Philip Seymour Hoffman stars in that film as well along with Ethan Hawk. All tremendous actors in their own right.
Anyway, I could go on, but I've said what I needed to. For plot reviews, well you can get that from the other Amazon reviewers or from the Amazon synopsis. I just felt it would be criminal to see a film like 25th hour and not let a potential Amazon customer know how I feel about it. If you value incredible acting, fantastic writing, a well developed storyline, and extremely thought provoking messages in your movies, then by all means buy this movie. You'll get all of that and then some.
Brilliant! This resonated and awakened within, held me hostage and didn't let me go until the very end. Poignant, warm, serious, absorbing, plus the eye popping visual shots Spike Lee brings to the screen, simply put, was brilliant...absolutely brilliant! Ed Norton, is certainly spectacular...very much enjoyed because this is one movie, I couldn't figure out right to the end. Loved it!!!
Fabulous movie!!!! Edward Norton is so good in this film. If you enjoy his movies, then I would get it. It is a must have.
Thought provoking movie (but checkout the book) The 25th Hour (DVD)
While much focus under reviews of the movie has been on Spike Lee's involvement in the film of the book and use of the post 11/9 setting, this in large part overlooks that the movie started with the great asset of a well written novel with a unique and timely story. In addition the using of the author David Beniofff to also write the screenplay seems to have ensured that much of the book's strengths were not lost in the transition to the screen.
Despite the few sops made from the book to Hollywood story lines (an over emphasis on did the girlfriend betray the lead character now destined for 7 years in jail and the resultant conversion of the ending), there is much to admire in the movie especially in tracking the story mix of the course of the lead actor Ed Norton's last day of freedom and the flashbacks needed to explain why matters have turned out as they have.
While the film's main emphasis is inevitably on Norton, what is more interesting is how he pales (relatively) against the ensemble of other support roles from the spot on Wall Street financial trader aggression of Barry Pepper; the adrift personna of introverted academic Philip Seymour Hoffman; the confused Puerto Rican girlfriend of Rosario Dawson and the pained widowed father of Brian Cox. The film makes great use of long set up fixed shots where the book's core themes of friendships and personal loyalties under pressure are endlesssly explored, with most dramatic effect in two scenes from an apartment overlooking the cleared World Trade Centre site and in a bar scene before the party moves on to a dance club.
While Spike Lee deserves full credit for evoking the NY story and setting, this is definitely a production that is the sum of its many great parts (and the audio commentary from Lee and Benioff included as a DVD extra reconfirms this).
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