By Tyler Ruth ’16

“The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club.” With that, let’s talk about “Fight Club.”

The unparalleled film came out in 1999 and is directed by David Fincher. The narrator and main character, played by Edward Norton, is driven to insanity by his boring white-collar job. He feels empty inside and the only joy he finds is by ordering furniture sets from IKEA. Because of this emptiness, he suffers from insomnia. To solace himself he goes to support groups where their pain helps him cry, which in turn helps him to sleep.

Our main character has tricked himself into believing he has the same level of pain as these people in the support groups that when he meets a fellow support group addict, Marla (played by Helena Carter), he feels offended that she would dare to fake an illness when in fact he himself is faking as well. To escape her phoniness he boards an airplane and meets a soap salesman named Tyler Durden (played by Brad Pitt), and this is what sets the story in motion.

The narrator wants a more exhilarating sleeping medication at this point, something besides boring support groups. Tyler Durden then introduces him to street fighting in the parking lot of a club. Soon after this, the two-man fighting pair becomes some sort of underground fighting arena, which then morphs into Fight Club. All of the members of this club seek exhilaration in their lives, and the only way they can achieve this is by fighting. The cuts, bruises and broken bones left by these fights leave them with something a little short of honor, but with more satisfaction than their day jobs can offer.

Fincher’s story is brilliant as it shows the temptation of violence and what a dehumanized, dangerous cult can become. When the characters in the club fight, there is no remorse. It also explores what mental illness can do to a person in such a provocative way that only a select few other directors would dare to do today without the fear of stepping on someone’s toes.

Behind every corner in the movie, there are twists and turns that can’t be summarized without the risk of spoilers. But let’s just say that not everything may be as what it appears to be, and that the reciprocal teamwork of the narrator and Tyler Durden is a little too good.

With clever humor, gruesome violence, amazing effects and expertly shot film, “Fight Club” definitely will not disappoint. “Fight Club” is available for rent on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play and is rated R for violence, sexual content and language.