Read and Respond: Fight Club

As a reader of Janet Maslin's review of Fight Club and never actually seeing the movie Fight Club I was deeply confused. I feel like it should be the reviewers responsibility to inform the reader of the premise of the movie and explain why they did or did not enjoy it. Because isn't that what a movie review is? So people who have not seen the movie could get a sense whether or not they will enjoy it. Maslin chose a different route for her review of Fight Club She chose to confuse the readers by constantly referring to actors as their names and their character names. Referring to Brad Pitt as both Mr. Pitt and Mr. Durden. which is quite confusing for someone who has never seen the movie. She also chose to use unnecessarily large words such as audacious and antiseptic. Maslin also brought other movies up far too many times. She mentioned American Beauty, Seven, The Game, The Six Sense, and Dogma. Which begs the question how hard is it to write a two page review of a movie and talk only about that movie? As I mentioned this review was only two pages long but, for me, was incredibly difficult to even finish, I caught myself skimming by the second page. But I do want to thank Ms. Maslin her review has left me so confused that I now need to see Fight Club starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton.

1. What Contextual and background information does Maslin include in her review? What would you like more of? Less? Why?

The only background that Maslin includes is that Norton has insomnia and goes to 12 step meetings where he meets his love interest, he ends up on a plane and meets Brad Pitt's character, Pitt's character shows Norton's character how to fight, they create a secret fighting club. I wish Maslin would have included a little more information without throwing in six things that the reader does not need to know. I feel like she confused people and I'm not sure why her review was even published.