Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Tom Andre Bardwell's avatar

“Pitt's most unique talent as an actor is his self-awareness. He knows he's beautiful. That people are naturally drawn to him.” *edit: Such an insightful read on him in ways I haven’t quite heard so sharply articulated. TY!

Expand full comment
Kari Bentley-Quinn's avatar

This is terrific work.

I liked Fight Club at the time. I was young, too. I was 18. But there was something about it that never sat right with me, and not just the toxic masculinity part. Older me understands that if you make a fable about terrorism as you so aptly put it, there should be some kind of moral lesson, or at least it should operate as a cautionary tale. I think it was prophetic in predicting the "male loneliness" epidemic, and the rising misogyny in the culture, but doesn't really give any ideas on how to change it.

The film ends with what looks like a rejection of Tyler Durden, but what really happens is that Norton's character embraces Durden so hard that they integrate. The former two selves (metaphorically, of course, I understand they were the same person!) are now one, psychologically. He didn't kill him. He folded him in so deeply that he'll never be able to get him out.

Expand full comment
10 more comments...

No posts