This film is not at all what I expected, but turned out to be one of my favorite films. The gritty attitude of the film is complimented with social commentary and philosophy that I found extremely thought provoking. The aesthetic of the movie was BA and the lighting complimented the overall tones being portrayed throughout. During the protagonist's normal life everything is washed out and fluorescent, but after meeting Tyler, the protagonists life gets a whole lot more interesting, and so does the mise-en-scene. The colors are more grimy and intense, the lighting is always beautifully done in high contrast, and the surroundings and sets are awesomely done. The clubhouse is a great central set. Its abandoned, run-down-house-turned-headquarters aesthetic sparks the interest of my inner child who wished he had a tree house when he was younger. As for the cinematography of the film, I didn't see much of anything that displeased me. The long shots of the fighters in the basement set up the scene wonderfully, and the close ups and strange perspectives were awesome as well. Like when Tyler takes the store clerk (Raymond) behind the store to make him turn his life around, the angle up at Tyler is great and the light from the store keying on Tyler's face is fantastic. The movie appropriately used slow motion, like when Marla smokes her cigarette when we are introduced to her or at the end when the protagonist shoots a hole through his own cheek. Compared to other films this is in a league of its own. Its an action-thriller that is darkly comedic but its twisted and deep plot gives it a cult movie status. The reason I liked this film so much was not only for its beautiful aesthetics, but for its memorable quotes and use of a very uncommon plot device. The sequence of the protagonists realization was an awesome use of flashback. Go see this movie. 
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