Fight Club: What’s It Really About?

Last Updated on October 2, 2023

If you’re a fan of cinema, you’ve likely seen and possibly indulged in the twists and turns of David Fincher’s revolutionary film, Fight Club. The film stars Edward Norton and Brad Pitt as well as Helena Bonham Carter, the late Meat Loaf, and Jared Leto. It’s a film that has speculated on endlessly since its release in 1999. The movie follows an un-named narrator (Norton) as he slowly unravels a deep-rooted secret that will change the way he sees himself, and the world. Fight Club is based on the novel of the same name by controversial author Chuck Palahniuk who has never outright stated the story’s true meaning. The film openly deals with themes of toxic masculinity, grief, mental health, and even identity crisis. It’s a film that is shot intentionally to be rewatched as there are hidden references and easter eggs in almost every frame of the feature. The film presents its audience with constant clues as to how the movie ends, and when you watch it again, you’re likely to draw a different conclusion entirely.

A well-known theory is that Fight Club is a commentary on modern men and how things like advertising, self-help, and name-brand underwear make society’s men more weak. I can’t say for sure what Palahniuk was trying to accomplish, but in this episode of our brand new series, “What’s It Really About?” we go into detail on my personal theory on what this film is really about and state my case as to why I believe it. With the movie’s ending now being common knowledge, we can discuss Tyler’s (Pitt) identity reveal and how it supports my overarching theory- Tyler is revealed to be an alternate personality of the Narrator. Using that story beat, and many other clues and easter eggs I found throughout the film, I explain why I think Tyler isn’t the only figment of the Narrator’s imagination.

Find out what we mean by that in today’s debut episode of “What’s It REALLY About?” Now on JoBlo Originals.