196. 25th Hour [B ]
25th Hour: A few critics, including Roger Ebert, chose to place this Spike Lee "joint," as it were, as one of the top 10 films of the decade. To be honest, I don't see it. Norton's performance is terrific, as are Brian Cox, Barry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. The direction, cinematography, music, and editing are all fine (the use of jump cuts incorporating multiple takes might be off-putting to some, but I don't mind the stylistic flourishes). But what prevents this from being equal to Lee's best work (Do The Right Thing) is the utter obtrusiveness of 9/11 imagery into the narrative. Every time Lee interjects with that stuff (the main title sequence showcasing the temporary memorial at night, a long take with Pepper and Hoffman overlooking ground zero, a short conversation that touches on the firefighters killed in the attack) it feels exactly like what it is: a tangent that has been dropped into this story (indeed, the novel in which the film is based was published before 9/11 even happened). There are a few other moments that set the film back. A long subplot with Hoffman (and Anna Paquin) overwhelms the central story for a bit too long--some more careful editing here could have easily brought the film in at or under two hours. A long fantasy sequence at the end of the film begins with several shots of the citizens of New York smiling at Norton as he drives out of the city. The point is made, but it's hard not to laugh at this endless montage of people with dopey smiles on their faces, especially when it's punctuated with a sentimental bit between Norton and a child. The end result is a film that is good, but not great, entry in Lee's filmography. He's easily one of the ten best directors still working in the United States, but it's a shame that he hasn't had more opportunities to direct feature films in the past ten years. A film like 25th Hour would probably be a minor entry, and not elevated to higher status, if studios would give him the chance.
