David Fincher is done fighting over Fight Club. The iconic director has heard it all: Tyler Durden is a symbol of toxic masculinity, a racist, a misogynist—the list goes on. But now, Fincher is stepping into the ring himself to defend the character he helped bring to life. Brad Pitt’s portrayal of the anarchic anti-hero may have been embraced by rebellious souls everywhere, but critics have taken a much darker view.
Fincher, however, sees Durden differently. To him, Tyler’s not a role model, but a cautionary tale—one that’s been misinterpreted by those who missed the point. In true Fight Club fashion, Fincher’s ready to take on anyone who dares to call his creation a villain.
David Fincher Slams Misinterpretations of Tyler Durden as a Misogynist and Racist
You wouldn’t think a movie from ’99 would still be causing this much chaos, but here we are. Fight Club director David Fincher is pissed. He’s had it up to here with people calling his flick’s anti-hero, Tyler Durden, a racist and misogynist. Fincher fired back, calling out people who doesn’t understand negative influence (via The Guardian):
“It’s impossible for me to imagine that people don’t understand that Tyler Durden is a negative influence. People who can’t understand that, I don’t know how to respond and I don’t know how to help them.
The cult classic film tapped into the angst of a generation of disenfranchised white people. But while it was meant to be a critique of consumerism and toxic masculinity, it seems some folks missed the memo. The movie’s become a bible for the alt-right, with groups like the ‘Proud Boys’ claiming it as their own. Fincher’s response? A shrug. He compared it to art being interpreted differently by everyone and said:
We didn’t make it for them, but people will see what they’re going to see in a Norman Rockwell painting, or [Picasso’s] Guernica.
But the question remains: Can you fully control how your art is perceived? Or is it destined to be a Rorschach test for society’s darkest corners?
Brad Pitt Teases Career Sunset but Promises More Action with Clooney
The eternal silver fox dropped a bombshell that’s got Hollywood buzzing. The Fight Club star’s hinting at a potential career sunset. In a candid chat with GQ, Brad Pitt spilled the tea on feeling like he’s in the last leg of his acting journey, as he revealed:
You know, there was moving out from the safety of the Ozarks. You embark on this thing and it’s all about discovery and it’s really exciting and interesting and painful and awful and all of it.
The 60-year-old Oscar winner isn’t talking about retirement, though. He’s more into viewing life and career as seasons. Pitt’s BFF and co-star George Clooney is also on the same page, talking about the harsh realities of getting older.
But hey, these two legends are teaming up for a new action-comedy called Wolfs hitting theaters this September. So, before Pitt rides off into the sunset, there’s still plenty of screen time to enjoy!
Watch Fight Club on Hulu and Apple TV as of August 16, 2024.
