FauxNixon

Spike Lee takes the novel writing talent of David Benioff and changes it into a screenplay to bring us this gut-wrenching story of regret, confusion, love, and loss and under Lee’s direction and his actors’ talents brings out a simultaneously heart-breaking and heart-warming story that is infused with a feeling of terrible, terrible regret in 25th Hour.

Monty Brogan (Edward Norton) was a major drug dealer involved with the Russian mafia who was busted when one of his associates turned him in to the DEA. He was convicted and is now facing seven years in federal prison and is trying to use his last hours of freedom to rekindle old ties, say his goodbyes, vent his frustrations, reminiscence about his life and celebrate what freedom he has left.

Monty suspects his loyal girlfriend Naturelle Riviera (Rosario Dawson) of being the one who turned him into the DEA and has a slight problem trusting her as of late. They live together in a nice apartment in Manhattan with Monty’s a dog, a fighting dog who he found one night abandoned to die after being beaten and burned.

Monty’s two best friends, Jacob Elinsky (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a teacher at a private school who is self-loathing, introverted and is fed in part by a restricted, but large trust fund, and Frank Slaughtery (Barry Pepper) a crass stockbroker for whom the only thing that matters is money are both friends from childhood, and, along with Naturelle, want to see that Monty’s last night of freedom is a celebration.

Monty visits his father James Brogan (Brian Cox) for a steak at his father’s restaurant and pub, which is what is securing the bond to ensure Monty remains free until entering prison. They discuss their lives and Monty’s father suggests, strongly, that Monty just leave and go to a far-away place and not contact anyone. He should do what he needs to do to run under the radar and then, maybe in a few years, he can contact Naturelle, and have her come out to live with him and start a family and then one day he can tell them a story about how all of this came so close to never having become.

Monty excuses himself and goes to the bathroom where on a mirror is written “Fuck You,” to which Monty provides one of the greatest cinematic monologues in history exposing all of the seedy parts of the under-belly of New York City and all its faults before, finally, he imagines his reflection saying to him, “No, fuck you, you had it and you threw it all away.”

Monty’s plans for his time (and what he will do on his 25th Hour) then are to meet up with Frank, Jacob, and Naturelle and party the night away in a very popular nightclub owned by the Russian mafia boss who Monty has refused to testify against. Before enjoying the party, his guests are shown to a private VIP booth and Monty goes to the offices to meet with his dealer. They understand each other: if Monty talks his father dies; if Monty doesn’t talk, the dealer offers advice on how to survive in prison. And finally, perhaps as a present, and perhaps as a favor, he presents Monty’s muscle-man who is revealed to have actually been the one who set up Monty and the dealer gives Monty a gun and tells him to kill him.

Monty returns to the party, has a great time, and then he, Frank, and Jacob go to a park, where Monty reveals his secret plan to help himself through his time at the prison, which is both shocking and logical. The film ends ambiguously with the viewer never knowing for sure if Monty went through with his plans and then went to prison, or if he took his father’s advice and gave himself a fresh start.

25th Hour is has a racist tinge to it, but to all races and ethnicities that inhabit New York City, including upper-class white people, and is a fantastic movie deserving of far more awards and praise and certainly your viewing time.