Shawn's Choke Review

2008 Movie #112 - Choke

I actually saw this movie on opening day at the very first show it was running, something I haven't done for a movie in a long time now. It wasn't really that I was dying to see it, although I was definitely excited for it.

I just got into Chuck Pahliniuk's books recently. I started with Fight Club and then in the following few months, read pretty much back to back: Haunted, Invisible Monsters, Lullaby, Choke and Snuff. Survivor is next up on the list, especially now that it's apparently going to be the next movie. Fight Club is one of my favourite movies of all time and I was excited to see what happened with the next Pahliniuk adaptation.

I have to say I'm impressed. The movie stays very loyal to the book with only a few slight changes here and there. The humour is still there and many of the jokes translate well onto the big screen.

Sam Rockwell did a fantastic job in the lead role, which is great because the character walks a very fine line between likable and an asshole. The wrong actor could have easily screwed this up but Rockwell owns this role. In fact everyone does a great job and all of the characters in the movie feel very true to how they are in the book.

I really hope this one goes on to acheive the same sort of cult status that Fight Club managed to earn over the years. It's a very different movie, but one that is highly enjoyable. If you're a fan of the book, or at least a fan of the author, then check this one out. They didn't screw it up during the adaptation, which is almost one of the best compliments you can give a movie based on a book.

*** 1/2 / 5