![]() It made me want to forgive him, forget about his crimes and let him go (he seemed sorry for what he did he was no longer a drug dealer he was trying to make an effort). Norton's performance made me feel nervous and quite scared on his behalf, almost to the point of feeling nauseous. Although not about to die, Monty's world is about to turn severely bad, and there's nothing he can do about it. Set in post 9/11 New York City, we are constantly reminded of humanity and the need to bond together and to make the most of the little time we have as do Monty's friends, including Jacob Elinsky (Hoffman), a confused and self-tortured school teacher who has strong feelings for one of the students in his class, Mary (Paquin of X-Men and The Piano fame). ![]() We watch the anguish of Monty during his last 24 hours on the 'outside' before he must go to prison for seven years, knowing completely what is in store for him on the 'inside'. But having said that, I have never felt so sorry for the bad guy as I did watching this film. Edward Norton plays Monty Brogan he's not the nicest of people by anyone's standards and certainly no one you should feel sorry for. We do what we have to do to survive.' I don't think I can remember a film that has put me more on an emotive level with the main character as this film has. 'I tattooed 'survive' on my hand the night before I went away to prison. If you have the opportunity to see this movie, I highly recommend that you take it, it's such a terrific story and is one of the most effective of 2002. Honestly I would say this is Spike Lee's best film, it's not bitter or over the top and made this film perfectly. This was also the fist movie that also brought up the pain and aftermath in New York after 9/11, the opening scene was in fact showing the lights that represented where the towers once stood and you really felt the pain and emptiness of New York. Then we have this incredibly intense scene that is one of my favorite in movie history, when Edward Norton is in the bathroom and goes off blaming everyone else for his problems then finally breaks down and just says "F you, you had it all and you screwed it up", that scene went from funny to intense to just plan sad. In fact the entire cast is something to admire in this movie: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Anna Paquin and Barry Pepper. 25th Hour is also the movie that introduced me to Rosario Dawson and I have to tell you that I fell for this girl immediately, she's a great leading actress who has a strong presence on the screen. Then it is revealed who really was the traitor that tipped the police about Monty. ![]() Nikolai gives Monty some tips on how to survive in prison. Monty and his partner Kostya then go to speak to a group of Russian mobsters, run by Uncle Nikolai. Frank and Naturelle also discuss how Monty got to this position, but Frank accuses her of not doing anything because she got used to a fancy life. The group later meets at the club, Jacob runs into one of his students, Mary who we see before complaining to Jacob about the grade of one of her papers. Brogan and his father then discuss whether it was Naturelle who tipped off the police about him. Brogan visits his father James at his Irish pub, and his father blames himself for Monty getting into the position he's in. Brogan has been busted for being a drug dealer, and he is looking at seven years in Otisville prison. Brogan then goes home to his girlfriend Naturelle and they discuss the fact that this is his last night before prison. Elinksy then calls Frank Slaughtery who is working as a Wall Street trader. He goes to his old school where he meets up with his teacher friend Jacob Elinsky and discusses a get-together at a local club planned later that evening. Monty Brogan is walking the streets of New York with Doyle his dog. Edward Norton pulls off an incredible performance and truth be told I couldn't believe he didn't get a nomination at least for this movie, I don't know 25th Hour just didn't get enough notice, but this is a great movie and a very moving story. I couldn't believe how much I fell in love with this movie, it's honestly one of my new favorite movies, it's intelligent, intense, and greatly written. I absolutely fell in love with Edward Norton when I saw American History X, he immediately became one of my favorite actors. 25th Hour is a movie that I just came across one day and decided to rent it, I noticed that it had Edward Norton in it and figured that I would just give it a shot.
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