Fight Club (1999)
Based on Chuck Palahaniuk’s 1996 novel of the same name, David Fincher’s Fight Club is Pitt’s most iconic and recognizable work.
He plays Tyler Durden, a youngster who has transcended film into the general cultural consciousness as a symbol of anti-capitalist-establishment enlightened masculinity.
Celebrated by some as gospel and criticized by others as pseudo-intellectual, the split-personality meanderings of Pitt and his counterpart (played by Edward Norton) have endured the test of time and are quoted by fans. Remember, “The things you own, end up owning you.”
As Tyler Durden, Pitt struts with a cigarette in mouth, rocking his sunglasses and trademark jackets, leather and fur.
The macho, wildly sexual, bare-knuckle-brawler juxtaposes Norton’s buttoned-up, Ikea catalogue-loving worker mentality.
As the two explore the curious nature of their relationship, the violent underground fighting ring which brought them together, and the anarchist plans of “Project Mayhem,” Pitt delivers an unforgettable performance.
Through the reciting of rules, “making soap,” and explaining the “illusion of safety,” Pitt claims the role and makes its own.
The film only received an Oscar nod for Best Sound Editing, and was not a commercial success upon initial release, but it later became a cult movie.
