"25TH HOUR"
(2002) (Edward Norton, Barry Pepper) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Heavy	Heavy	Extreme	Moderate	Moderate
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	Minor	None	Extreme
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Mild	Minor	Heavy	Heavy

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QUICK TAKE:

Drama: A drug dealer spends his last night of freedom with his friends before going to prison for seven years.

PLOT:

Monty Brogan (EDWARD NORTON) is a drug dealer who had decided to go straight, but was too late in making that move. Busted by the feds, he's now facing a seven year prison sentence. Accordingly, he's decided to spend his last night of freedom with his two best friends, Jacob Elinsky (PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN) and Frank Slaughtery (BARRY PEPPER).

Jacob is an insecure teacher who's uncomfortably attracted to one of his underage students, Mary D' Annunzio (ANNA PAQUIN), who likes to flirt with him. Frank is a high-flying, successful investment banker who can't stand the fact that he and Monty's live-in girlfriend, Naturelle Riviera (ROSARIO DAWSON), allowed things to get this far out of hand.

After having dinner with his father, James (BRIAN COX), and before meeting his drug lord boss, Uncle Nikolai (LEVANI), Monty goes out with his friends and meets up with Nikolai's Ukrainian henchman, Kostya Novotny (TONY SIRAGUSA). As the night wears on and Monty tries to figure out who, if anyone, turned him in, he must decide what he's going to do regarding his pending imprisonment.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

Those who are fans of director Spike Lee or someone in the cast might be interested in it, although that seems most likely for older teenagers at best.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R

For strong language and some violence.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

EDWARD NORTON plays a drug dealer who decided to go straight when he's busted by the Feds. He then spends his last night before going to prison wondering what he's going to do and whether he'll survive such a sentence. He also uses a great deal of strong profanity and drinks.

PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN plays his childhood friend and currently conflicted teacher who's found himself uncomfortably attracted to one of his underage female students. He also uses strong profanity and drinks.

BARRY PEPPER plays their other childhood friend, a successful investment banker who can't stand what's come of Monty. He uses strong profanity, drinks and smokes.

ROSARIO DAWSON plays Monty's live-in girlfriend who wants to know how he's feeling on his last night. She uses some strong profanity and drinks.

ANNA PAQUIN plays Jacob's underage but provocative student who flirts with him and gets drunk in a club.

BRIAN COX plays Monty's widowed father who wants the best for his boy, including offering to go on the run with him. He briefly uses strong profanity.

TONY SIRAGUSA plays the Ukrainian bodyguard who accompanies Monty.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 110 "f" words, while plenty of other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually explicit dialogue is present (including homosexual references related to prison), some women are seen in revealing attire, a couple is seen in a bubble bath together (no nudity), and a teacher and his underage female student flirt and briefly kiss.

Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while violence consists of a severe and bloody beating, some threatening with guns and a wounded dog. Some of that material might be disturbing or suspenseful to viewers, while some material is related to the aftermath of 9-11.

The protagonist is a drug dealer and drug references and some dealing are present. Meanwhile, various characters smoke and/or drink, with a great deal of the latter occurring (along with some drunkenness), while varying forms of imitative behavior are also present.

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, some strobe effects occur in a club.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

A man wants to buy drugs from Monty, but he says he's out of the drug dealing business.

Kostya has a flask.

DEA agents find drugs in Monty' sofa cushions.

Kostya drinks from a flask.

Monty has a beer and we hear that his father was formerly an alcoholic (we then see him sneak a drink after Monty leaves).

Frank and Jacob drink beer.

Frank tells Jacob that they should make sure they get Monty drunk on his last night of freedom.

We hear that Monty was thrown out of a private school for dealing pot.

Frank and Jacob drink beer in a bar.

We see a flashback of Monty dealing drugs in a park.

Frank has a drink and Jacob has a beer while others drink in the bar. Naturelle shows up and has some beer. Monty then shows up and they all have shots.

Various people drink in a club where Monty, his friends and Mary have champagne. The latter guzzles hers down in one gulp.

Frank has some whiskey.

Mary drinks more and appears drunk. She admits to being drunk and says that she had some "E" (ecstasy) earlier.

Naturelle has a shot of Jack Daniels. She tells Frank that he's drunk and he says that since he's Irish, he can't be. Frank then has another drink and then makes Jacob drink some whiskey.

Monty and Uncle Nikolai drink shots.

Monty and his father have beer in a bar where others drink.

BLOOD/GORE

A wounded dog is rather bloody and Monty has a little blood on his neck from where the dog bit or scraped him.

A man has some blood from his mouth and nose.

Monty's face is extremely bloody after goading Frank into repeatedly punching him (and Frank's hand is bloody and Jacob has some blood from his nose). Later, we see Monty's black, blue and heavily bruised and cut face and some bloody water in a bowl and on a rag as Naturelle tends to him.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Monty is a drug dealer.

Frank doesn't listen to his boss' orders about how to do business (concerning $100 million).

Jacob allows his lustful feelings for Mary (his underage student) to surface and eventually kisses her. Meanwhile, she purposefully flirts with him.

As Monty looks at himself in a mirror, we see his reflection suddenly deliver a lengthy and disparaging diatribe about what's wrong with the city. For the most part, he blames a lot on the various non-white races, ethnic groups and others (including gays) and equates some of them as being terrorists. During that, he uses some ethnic slurs and basically attacks anyone (including authority figures) who isn't like him.

In addition, some viewers might not like when he also says, "F*ck the priests" who put their hands down kids' pants, "F*ck the church" who protects them and "While you're at it, f*ck JC. He got off easy. A day on the cross, a weekend in hell, and all the hallelujahs..."

Referring to Naturelle, a DEA agent asks, "Did you see the rack on that girl?"

A person calls another person a "Spic."

Uncle Nikolai is a criminal boss who's been to prison several times.

It turns out an associate of Monty's is the one who turned him in to the Feds and blamed someone else.

Monty's father offers to help his boy run away and hide from imprisonment.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Scenes listed under "Violence" may also be tense or unsettling to viewers.

For those sensitive to animal violence, we hear sounds of a dog barking and then yelping from apparently being hit. Monty and Kostya then come across a severely wounded dog that growls and barks at Monty as he tries to get close to save the dog.

For those still sensitive to the events of 9-11, various parts of the film are related to that, including the blue beacons of light that briefly illuminated the NYC skyline; a fallen firefighters tribute in a bar; and Frank's place overlooking ground zero (with footage of crews still working in the massive hole).

Uncle Nikolai aims a gun at Monty and then wants him to shoot another man (Monty can't).

In an effort to make himself ugly and therefore not attractive to inmates in prison, Monty finally coerces Frank into fighting him and pummeling his face. That starts with Monty punching Jacob several times to make Frank intervene and pin him to the ground. Frank then repeatedly punches Monty in the face (upon Monty's insistence), leaving a bloody and swollen mess (all as Monty's leashed dog goes crazy).

GUNS/WEAPONS

We see someone shooting a machine gun.

Handguns: Carried/worn and/or used to threaten others.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Get the f*ck out of here," "F*ck you and your theory," "I believe you're f*cked," "What the f*ck is going on?" "F*ck you" (seen written), "Get a f*cking job," "Slow the f*ck down," "Go back to where you f*cking came from," "Give me a f*cking break," "Who's that f*cking guy?" "Get the f*ck out of here," "Move the f*ck on," "F*cking bitch," "You dumb f*ck," "F*ck that," "How the f*ck should I know?" "I don't f*cking get it," "Wake the f*ck up," "You're f*cked," "Vanilla m*therf*cker," "You're just a sad f*ck," "You fat Russian f*ck," "Shut the f*ck up," "You f*cking p*ssy," "No sh*t," "I don't really give a sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "You dumb sh*t," "Don't feed me that sh*t," "Horsesh*t," "What kind of bullsh*t is that?" "Do you think my mother gives a sh*t?" "You little pr*ck," "Don't p*ssy out on me," "Tough little bastard," "Bitch and scream," "Raggedy ass," "Punk," "Bimbo," "Skinny white flat ass," "Take a leak" (urinate), "Backward ass," "Kiss my royal Irish ass," "Camel jockeys," "Hell no," "Broad" (woman), "Hard ass," "Busting my balls," "Slut," "Skank," "Pissed" (drunk), "Little tart," "Bitch" (woman), "What the hell are you saying?" "Spic" and "Shut up."

A DEA agent says the "s" word in an exaggerated and stretched out fashion.

Mary wears a midriff-revealing top and has a large tattoo design around her navel that's pierced.

Naturelle wears a midriff-revealing top and has a tattoo on her leg.

Frank eats with his bare hands (food that usually requires utensils) and then loudly belches.

In an effort to make himself ugly and therefore not attractive to inmates in prison, Monty eventually coerces Frank into fighting him and pummeling his face.

We see a man with many piercings in his eyebrows.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

A minor bit of such music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None.

PROFANITY

At least 110 "f" words (1 written, 4 used with "mother," 4 used sexually as are the terms "get laid" and "bang"), 39 "s" words, 5 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck," "c*cks*cker" and "pr*ck"), 3 slang terms using female genitals ("p*ssy" and "trim"), 5 slang terms for breasts (variations of "t*t" and "rack"), 16 asses (3 used with "hole"), 7 hells, 2 damns, 2 S.O.B.s, 7 uses of "Oh my God," 3 of "Jesus," 2 each of "God," "Oh God," "Oh Jesus" and "Swear to God" and 1 use each of "G-damn," "For Christ's sakes," "Jesus Christ," "My God" and "Oh Christ" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY

Mary comments about a poem she was reading in that a guy wants to "get laid" and he's telling her to "give it up."

Frank's boss, Sal, refers to a woman as a "bimbo" and asks, "Can I bang her first?" Later, Frank sarcastically asks another guy (who's questioned his behavior), "Do I come into your bedroom and tell you how to blow your boyfriend?"

Naturelle wants Monty to take a bath with her, but he says not now. Moments later, we see both of them in the tub beneath the bubbles and she's lying on him (back to front). She then makes a comment about seeing him fathering children, but not being a father.

Kostya eyes a female jogger as she passes by and comments that it's very nice. He also comes on to other women and says that he'll make one of them a half black, half Russian baby.

As Monty looks at himself in a mirror, we see his reflection suddenly deliver a lengthy and disparaging diatribe about what's wrong with the city. During that, he comments on two men going down on each other and complains about priests who put their hands down children's pants.

Some magazine covers on Frank's table show some scantly clad women (but they're seen from a distance).

Referring to Naturelle, a DEA agent asks, "Did you see the rack on that girl?" (while trying to goad Monty). A comment is also made that the guys in prison are going to love Monty and one pushes his own tongue into the side of his check to suggest oral sex. He then talks about Monty's chances during his trail depending on the prosecutor's frame of mind and postulates if the prosecutor "got some good trim the night before." In response, Monty sarcastically asks another agent, "When you have your d*ck in his mouth, does he just keep talking like that?" He then wonders if that's annoying when "you're f*cking a guy in the mouth and he won't shut up." The agent then says that when Monty is taking it up the rear, he'll only have himself and Gov. Rockefeller to thank for the privilege.

Frank asks Jacob when the last time he "got laid" was. He then says no offense, but that most women won't sleep with a guy with bad breath. Frank then says that he happens to be "blessed with a very big d*ck."

A female bartender wears a bikini-style top.

Frank asks Jacob about Mary, "You haven't f*cked her yet, have you?" He replies, "No, I haven't f*cked her." A joke is then made that Victoria's Secret doesn't have children's sizes.

Naturelle shows cleavage (and does so in several scenes) and she joins the above conversation that then segues into talk of "t*ts" and "ass." Frank then asks her why women feel the need to cry after great sex. She then asks why he doesn't give them some more sex tips that will cheer them up.

After spotting Jacob about to enter a club, Mary jokingly says that they're lovers.

We see various scantily clad women in a club.

Kostya tells Monty that he's found a woman for him and his last night of freedom. Monty says that he's with Naturelle, but then leaves with Kostya and Frank for a moment. That prompts Jacob to ask if he should tell Naturelle that Monty's off having sex with a prostitute.

Monty says that Naturelle is the only girl he still fantasized about after sleeping with her.

Monty tells Frank that the inmates in prison will knock his teeth out so that he can "give them head" all night without worrying about him biting.

The camera focuses on the bodies of various women on the dance floor.

Mary, who appears to be drunk, straddles a clothed Jacob in a bar and puts his hands on her clothed body and down her belly. She continues coming on to him and he stares at her pierced navel. He then follows her up the stairs and into a private bathroom at the club. He then passionately kisses her, but the two realize it's not what they thought it would be like and he then walks out.

Trying to goad Frank into beating him up (so that he'll look ugly for other inmates), Monty accuses him (about Naturelle), "You've been wanting to f*ck her for years."

SMOKING

Frank smokes cigars several times, Naturelle also smokes, as does Nikolai, while various other characters smoke as well.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

We hear that Monty's mother died when he was eleven.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

Drug dealing and the repercussions of that.

Friends/lovers who don't stop others' bad actions when they know they should (at least in hindsight).

Teacher/student relationships or longings thereof.

The aftermath of 9-11 on the people and city of New York.

VIOLENCE

For those sensitive to animal violence, we hear sounds of a dog barking and then yelping from apparently being hit.

Naturelle slaps Frank during an argument.

Uncle Nikolai aims a gun at Monty and then wants him to shoot another man (Monty can't ). Nikolai's men, however, punch the other man several times and bash his head against a table. Some men then kick that man.

In an effort to make himself ugly and therefore not attractive to inmates in prison, Monty eventually coerces Frank into fighting him and pummeling his face. That starts with Monty punching Jacob several times to make Frank intervene and pin him to the ground. Frank then repeatedly punches Monty in the face (upon Monty's insistence), leaving a bloody and swollen mess (all as Monty's leashed dog goes crazy).

Reviewed December 23, 2002 / Posted January 10, 2003

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