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Chapter 27
By Johnny
Alba
Jared Leto is effective
in the otherwise forgettable Chapter 27.
A lot has been
discussed about the infamous Mark David Chapman, his obsession
with the controversial novel The Catcher in the Rye and his reasons for
shooting music legend John Lennon on December 8, 1980. Unfortunately,
Chapter 27 fails to bring any new insight into this over studied
subject and ends up being nothing more than a tedious vehicle for an
unrecognizable Jared Leto.
The film begins when Chapman (an effective Leto) arrives to New York City in order to
emulate the actions of Holden Caulfield, the fictional main character
from The Catcher in the Rye; just three days before he is determined to
kill Lennon. A whispering voice inside Chapman’s head keeps reminding us
he must kill the legendary musician, yet we never get to know why.
A vague and poorly-developed screenplay along with predictable direction
by J.P. Schaefer keep the film on very thin ice and only Jared Leto’s
committed (the actor’s resemblance with Chapman is striking) but far
from Oscar-worthy performance prevents it from breaking completely
apart. Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan contributes much less as Chapman’s
fellow Lennon fan Jude, a role that could have been easily played by an
unknown.
A lack of depth and focus turns this film into a tiresome and
self-conscious experience where, as said by Jude about the film Rosemary’s Baby: “nothing happens until the end.”
Ironically, there’s a big gap between the Polanski classic and
this disappointment.
*/****
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