ajhowellmd Seriously. This whole movie did not make any sense to me at all. If he was convicted and sentenced to prison for seven years, then they would have immediately taken him into custody so he would NEVER have the chance to potentially run away (as his dad even suggests to him late in the movie). I do not get this AT ALL!

nbbaiyuchen I really love Spike Lee's film. This is a very underrated movie filled with great performances from Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, and Brian Cox. The story is compelling and Spike Lee does an awesome job of directing us to understand and sympathize for a man who chose the wrong path and now has to suffer the consequences for it. Every acted scene is beautiful but the most compelling scenes are one is in the bathroom. Edward Norton explodes internally with a monologue that reminded me of Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver. Another one is a long montage of Edward Norton and Brian Cox on a drive out into the wilderness. Both of these scenes are beautifully acted and are both very powerfully directed in my mind.

Paul Khan Seems strange to get a review a decade or so later but I only watched this Spike Lee classic recently and was totally blown away with every aspect of this movie. How Edward Norton did not get an Oscar nomination defies explanation but also serves to prove what a farce the Academy Awards are. This is movie making at it's best as one lives every raw emotion that Norton extracts. The entire cast give a stellar performance and none more than Barry Pepper and Rosario Dawson. The haunting musical score and New York 'sidewalk atmosphere' uplifts the movie. As for the oft underrated Norton, he lived his character to the max with such conviction one actually felt a little sorry for a bad guy on his way to the pen. Great to also see Spike Lee stepping out of his comfort zone and turn a fabulous novel into one of the all time cinematic masterpieces. A resounding 10/10 !

RevRonster I passed on this film when it came out because my roommate at the time recommended it to me. He and I didn't have the same taste in movies and I thought that if he liked it, there was probably no way I was going to enjoy it. So, I left it alone for a long time and then a reader of my blog—a complete stranger—requested I watch it and I did. That's right; I took a recommendation from a stranger before I listen to my old roommate. Anyway, I'm glad that reader intervened because I really enjoyed "25th Hour." The story is simple but very effective. Director Spike Lee is even able to manage having a story that feels like it is constantly moving forward even when flashbacks come into play. Sometimes going backwards in a story can put the breaks on a film but this one never felt that way. Additionally, the drama the story offers is top notch and really made the film grab you and keep you intrigued.Finally, the performances and cast in this film is completely amazing! Right off the bat you have a group of actors who are known for being excellent performers so there was no doubt they were going to deliver but, as usual, they are all better than expected. They all made their characters feel authentic and each of them shared some real chemistry on screen.I had my doubts about "25th Hour" and it was off my radar since it came out but the film proved to be a great drama filled with interesting characters and a lot of great acting.Howdy! The name is Rev. Ron and if you feel like reading more of my rants, ramblings, bad jokes, geek references, and other movie reviews (like a more in-depth look at "25th Hour" and other films from director Spike Lee and actors like Edward Norton and the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman) you can visit my blog at revronmovies.blogspot.com. If you don't want to do that because you are busy making bathtub grape juice from grapes you grew in your own backyard, you don't need to visit.