Apex Mountain
Ed Norton: Fight Club; 25th Hour as the signature movie where 9/11 is a character
In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:26:51Read transcript
- For Ed Norton, coming off Red Dragon into this movie is considered, but because this film was not very successful the answer moves from "probably Fight Club" to "It's definitely Fight Club," since he had the most juice after Fight Club, which came a year after his American History X nomination.
- Afterward his choices seemed like diminishing returns, including the in-between Hulk movie rather than the Angley version with Eric Bona.
- Norton is called one of the best and for a while the most exciting actor, but the pressure to make good choices and the needs of ego and career locked him into a pattern; Birdman let him lean into that ego.
- Spike Lee, Benioff and Hoffman are each a no.
- Movies where 9/11 is a character is a yes: this is called the signature 9/11 movie even though it is not about 9/11, a no-brainer.
- Barry Pepper is saved for later; his run from 1998 to 2002 (Saving Private Ryan, Enemy of the State, 61, Knock Around Guys, 25th Hour) leads to "his Apex Mountain was probably 61," after which he seemed headed for leading roles that never came.