The 25th Hour
Encyclopedia
The 25th Hour is the 2001 debut novel
by David Benioff
. A film adaptation
, for which Benioff wrote the screenplay, was directed by Spike Lee
and released in 2002.
and sentenced to seven years in prison. He spends his last night of freedom partying with his friends, contemplating his uncertain future and the decisions he made that brought him to this point.
said The 25th Hour was "brilliantly conceived, this gripping crime drama boasts dead-on dialogue, chiaroscuro
portraits of New York's social strata and an inescapable crescendo of tension." Bookseller said that it had "powerful characterization and dialogue". Entertainment Weekly
rated it an A Minus, saying that Benioff "shows a knack for critiquing his genre while revitalizing its cliches" and the novel "achieves both pathos and excitement."
Debut novel
A debut novel is the first novel an author publishes. Debut novels are the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future...
by David Benioff
David Benioff
-Early life:Born David Friedman in New York City, he changed his name to David Benioff, his mother's maiden name. He is the youngest of three children....
. A film adaptation
25th Hour
25th Hour is a 2002 American drama film directed by Spike Lee and is based on the novel The 25th Hour written by David Benioff, who also wrote the screenplay. The film stars Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin, and Brian Cox...
, for which Benioff wrote the screenplay, was directed by Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
and released in 2002.
Plot
New York drug dealer Monty Brogan is arrested for drug possessionDrug possession
Drug possession is the crime of having one or more illegal drugs in one's possession, either for personal use, distribution, sale or otherwise. Illegal drugs fall into different categories and sentences vary depending on the amount, type of drug, circumstances, and jurisdiction.A person has...
and sentenced to seven years in prison. He spends his last night of freedom partying with his friends, contemplating his uncertain future and the decisions he made that brought him to this point.
Reception
Publishers WeeklyPublishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
said The 25th Hour was "brilliantly conceived, this gripping crime drama boasts dead-on dialogue, chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro in art is "an Italian term which literally means 'light-dark'. In paintings the description refers to clear tonal contrasts which are often used to suggest the volume and modelling of the subjects depicted"....
portraits of New York's social strata and an inescapable crescendo of tension." Bookseller said that it had "powerful characterization and dialogue". Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
rated it an A Minus, saying that Benioff "shows a knack for critiquing his genre while revitalizing its cliches" and the novel "achieves both pathos and excitement."