This motion picture is somewhat unusual because it doesn’t have a solid plot: it is a story about the last 24 hours in life of Monty Brogan before he goes to prison to serve a seven years sentence for dealing drugs. Edward Norton is excellent as a man who is a ‘tough guy’ and a scared little boy at the same time; a man who spends his last hours of freedom trying to fix his relationship with the people closest to him, as well as ‘business’ relationship with the Russian mafia.
To my opinion Spike Lee in this film accentuates the concept of life’s choices; this is explicitly shown in a scene when Monty’s childhood friend Frank (B. Pepper) declares his options: he can commit suicide, become a fugitive or serve the sentence, but he’ll never be able to lead a normal life afterwards. On the other side, Monty’s friend Jacob (P. S. Hoffman) battles his feelings towards his minor student (A. Paquin).
The beautifully narrated screenplay is filled with realistic dialogues, and I especially like the final, narrative, sequence of the movie, also focused on a concept of ‘choice’. In the subtext of the storyline we can notice a critique of everyday life in the USA after the fall of the WTC towers (impressive opening credits where two light beams represent the WTC towers; a window in Frank’s apartment overlooks the Ground Zero; Monty’s father is a firefighter…)
A part from being terrifically acted and superbly written, the film is also masterfully directed: combination of long shots, quick cuts and slow motion sequences. My favorite is the sequence when Monty looks himself in the mirror and spits out a litany of hate for every group of New York that comes to mind and in the end includes himself (video: “Love letter to New York”).
This isn’t a relaxing movie and I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. It will be most enjoyable for the fans of Edward Norton and the admirers of Spike Lee’s unique style. I would especially recommend it to those facing important life decisions.

Some quotes I like:

Monty Brogan: Champagne for my real friends, and real pain for my sham friends.

Uncle Nikolai: I have been in three different prisons, Montgomery. Three different countries. And you know what I learned? I learned prison is a bad place to be.

James Brogan: (...) Every man, woman, and child alive should see the desert one time before they die. Nothin' at all for miles around. Nothin' but sand and rocks and cactus and blue sky. Not a soul in sight. No sirens. No car alarms. Nobody honkin' atcha. No madmen cursin' or pissin' in the streets. You find the silence out there, you find the peace. You can find God (...)