Capítulo 27

I wasn't sure what to expect of this movie, given the reviews that were all over the place. I was prepared for it to be dark, and for the narrative to not necessarily be straight-line. But... I wasn't prepared to like it as much as I did.

Yes, the movie doesn't give you any answers, that much of the criticism is true. But in the end, I think it's more satisfying that way. We get a little glimpse at a person who committed an inexplicable act, and maybe know a little more about him, but in the end, do we really understand? No. And that's fine. Sometimes we just DON'T know the answers to everything.

Jared Leto's performance is amazing, and well worth seeing even were the movie much worse than it is. He goes to some other place entirely, and shows us what it's like there - which, in my mind, IS great acting. Lindsey Lohan is quite good in her role, but the part is very limited - the movie belongs to Jared.

It's a shame this movie wasn't seen more widely; it certainly deserves to be.

Chapter 27 is a compelling and thought-provoking movie that offers a unique perspective on a significant moment in history. Jared Leto's transformative performance as Mark David Chapman, the man who infamously assassinated John Lennon, is nothing short of extraordinary. Leto's dedication to the role is evident in every scene, and his portrayal brings a haunting realism to the character.

The movie's exploration of Chapman's psyche and the events leading up to that fateful day is both chilling and mesmerizing. It delves deep into the complexities of human nature and the dark, often misunderstood corners of the human mind. The cinematography and directing create an atmosphere that is both immersive and unsettling, drawing the audience into Chapman's world and inner turmoil.

Chapter 27 is a bold and unflinching look at a tragic moment in history, offering a fresh perspective on a well-known story. It challenges the audience to consider the human side of a figure often portrayed as a mere villain, and encourages reflection on the factors that can lead to such devastating acts.

Overall, Chapter 27 is a powerful and thought-provoking film that stays with you long after the credits roll. It's a testament to the talent of its cast and crew, and a must-see for those who appreciate compelling storytelling and masterful performances.

I wanted to watch this movie because, by a weird coincidence, I happened to walk by the Dakota the night John Lennon was shot. At the time I was a senior in high school visiting New York for a few days, feeling a lot like my imagination of Holden Caulfield. "John Lennon got shot," the police said. I went to Central Park for the public memorial. Some people were sad, but many others were excited, as if they were taking part in a giant happening. The atmosphere was hardly funereal, something you can see in the stock footage of the scene. I was disgusted and left. "Phonies," I thought.

The movie gets a lot of things right. The preppy clothes, the look of New York, the bad food, the awkward dialog all brought back memories of feeling young and alienated. It also succeeds in its allusions to "The Catcher in the Rye" and even "Lolita," where Chapman could just as easily have been Humbert Humbert at the end. The acting is quite good, and the direction, though flawed, is right more often than not.

Most interesting to me was the concept. Many reviewers feel disappointed that we don't understand the mind of the killer by the end. But that's the point. There's nothing to understand. The relation between fans and artists is much like the relation between youth and age. In the first instance, there is sensitivity that this powerless and derivative, and in the second, there is sensitivity that is assured and original. The former condition, as Salinger, Nabokov, and my own memory of adolescence contend, is basically Hell. The main character never escapes this condition-consider his book inscription. From this perspective the movie is less an exploration of his motivation, which is causal and developmental, than a description of his emotional state, which is static and permanent. This is suggested by the structure of the narrative, which follows the circularity of Salinger's novel.

Viewers will have to decide for themselves whether the movie pulls off the larger metaphor, namely, that America itself has never escaped the nightmare of adolescence. If you want to see the disintegration of a lonely loser, "The Assassignation of Richard Nixon" is a better movie. But "Chapter 27" is smarter than it appears.

I saw this at the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan.

Starring Jared Leto as Mark Chapman, it follows him over the course of a few days until December 8, 1980 when he killed John Lennon.

It was pretty good, but nothing special. Jared Leto did a nice job as Chapman and was in virtually every frame of the film. Lindsay Lohan played a minor role as one of the fellow Lennon fans, but she's barely in the film. The film could really work as a one man show on stage.

The problem with the film is that it's very repetitive. At 84 minutes, it's pretty much 84 minutes of Chapman narrating, "I have to meet John Lennon,I have to kill John Lennon." I don't know much about the real Mark Chapman, and I don't know if this film is extremely accurate, but there could have been a better way to tell the story.

Overall, I was pretty disappointed with this film, it's an okay movie but it could have been so much better.

Chapter 27 is one of the most visually stunningly films I have seen in a long time. The hauntingly beautiful cinematography comfortably blends it's self with the evocative soundtrack.

Jared Leto surprised me with such a challenging and compelling roll and with this competent portrayal of the notorious Mark David Chapman, he really proves him self as a character actor. Everything from his schizophrenic mannerisms to the morbid confusion in his eyes; Leto is just incredible.

Lindsay Lohan's role in the film, is essential in developing Chapman's awkward disposition when it came to interaction with other people, especially women. Lohan's role, although small, is an important one and she plays it well.

The city of New York also plays an important role in Chapter 27, with it's bitter isolation and apparent lack of moral integrity. A languid soul can be in a city full of thousands of people and still feel completely alone.

It's important to remember when watching this film that Mark David Chapman was no evil genius - he was a schizophrenic sociopath.

The reason this film doesn't offer much of an insight into Chapman's motive behind this horrible assassination or into "the complicated mind of a killer"; is because there isn't one. And the reason his past and childhood isn't included in the film is not only to admit some things that could be seen as being sympathetic towards him (eg: a sexually abusive past etc), but also because it quite simply doesn't matter or explain anything. Chapman was and is quite simply, mentally disturbed and it isn't hard to tell this, even if you only know the basics about him.

Most of the things we know about Chapman's thoughts and actions leading up to Lennon's assassination, we know only from his personal accounts and given his obviously disturbed state in general, these accounts may or may not be what really happened.

The rest can be taken from accounts of interactions held with people such as telephone conversations with his wife or conversations with other "fans" also gathered outside The Dakota.

Chapter 27 gives us a fairly subjective view of Chapman and his actions. They haven't sensationalized anything and have made a good realistic representation of the events of the assassination and the state of mind of the perpetrator at the time.

In so much as people being upset about a film representation being made about the death of someone as beloved as John Lennon, I don't think this film is even slightly disrespectful to the memory of John Lennon. It's not exploring what happened to Lennon on the days before he died, it's exploring what happened to Chapman. It's more about him that it is about Lennon. This in a strange way, is more respectful to Lennon that people might think.

There's a certain morbid beauty to this film that comes out mainly through the incredible cinematography and the creative direction. J.P. Schaefer does a very good job for a first time writer/director.

It's a shame this film won't get as much exposure as it deserves.