Spike Lee is one of the few living directors who, in his best work, consistently turns the settings of his films into supporting characters. Just check out "Do the Right Thing" or "Son of Sam"; both of those films rely heavily on the real-life overall tensions felt among the New York City's populace during the time in which the stories take place. Like those films, "25th Hour" oh-so-subtly uses a post-9/11 New York as a backdrop to tell its deceptively simple story, that of a young man looking for redemption before going to prison. In doing so, the film serves as perhaps the most dramatically striking fictional document that is ever likely to be made of that great tragedy. This supposed theme notwithstanding, "25th Hour" is among Lee's best films, and prompts this reviewer to wonder exactly who he has to sleep with to earn an Oscar nod for his cinematic skills.

Edward Norton, in yet another great performance, stars as Monty Brogan, a drug dealer who, after being set-up by someone close to him, faces a seven year prison term. During his last day of freedom, he attempts to make peace with several people in his life, including his father (Brian Cox), two childhood friends (Philip Seymour Hoffman & Barry Pepper) and his girlfriend, Naturelle (Rosario Dawson), who is suspected by those close to Brogan that it was she who set him up. The film chronicles the last 24 hours of Brogan's freedom, during which time Brogan ponders the life choices he has made, as well as the dark path which lies ahead; we learn Brogan is quite intelligent, and once had a promising (and legitimate) future until he was kicked out of college for selling dope. And while he became a very successful drug merchant, his career path alienated him from friends and family - the only constant relationship in his life is Naturelle, who never knew Brogan before his current line of work, and appears determined to remain loyal to him, even though facing the very real possibility she'll never see him again after he goes off to prison. His buddies, however, have trouble coming to terms with their friendship to Brogan, especially Slaugherty (Pepper), a very successful and aggressively ruthless stock broker. While there's no doubting his love for Brogan, he's also very resentful of Brogan's career path, his relationship with Naturelle, and the fact that, despite his dubious profession, possesses a compassion and empathy for others Slaugherty will never have. All the performances are outstanding, and it would be difficult to say who's the most effective in their roles. Barry Pepper, as Slaugherty, gives his best performance to date; Philip Seymour Hoffman, as his other childhood friend, Jacob, is equally fine as an insecure high school teacher - the scenes featuring Jacob and Slaugherty as they banter and argue are great. Also terrific is Cox as Brogan's father, a recovering alcoholic who owns a bar; his performance is probably the most subtle, and he effectively conveys disapproval of Brogan's profession, while still expressing unconditional love, with a few well chosen words and expressions. And, as Brogan, Norton continues to prove he's easily one of the best American actors to come along since Robert DeNiro. He makes us like and care about Brogan, even if he is a criminal, and repentant only after he's been nailed. Once again, Spike Lee demonstrates why he's one of America's great filmmakers; "25th Hour" is a movie teaming with haunting imagery and symbolism, as demonstrated in the scene in which Jacob and Slaugherty argue the uncertain future of their friendship to Brogan in Slaugherty's apartment - and behind them, through the window, is Ground Zero, eerily illuminated in the dark (if that image doesn't capture the overall feeling of uncertainty of a post-9/11 America, I don't know what does). From the opening scene, in which Brogan saves a left-for-dead dog, to the surprisingly heart-breaking climax featuring Cox's outstanding soliloquy of a life that could be (in essence, the American Dream), "25th Hour" is an emotionally complex, masterfully shot film.

Disney does another great job with this 2.35:1 widescreen transfer. The picture is outstanding. The colors are generally sharp and black levels are really good. The exceptions are the scenes which don't take place in the present tense; by design, the images in those scenes feature slightly more grain and burnt-out colors, adding to the overall dramatic effect. The soundtrack is equally outstanding, especially noticeable during the scenes in the nightclub (where the middle third of the film takes place), where the dialogue and surrounding sound are very nicely balanced. In both picture and sound, Disney is fast becoming the standard by which video and audio quality in discs should be judged, as demonstrated here.

Included are some deleted scenes; while they are interesting, it's understandable why they were excised. There are two short features, "Evolution of an American Filmmaker," which summarizes Lee's film career, and the somewhat unnerving "Ground Zero," an emotionally sobering tribute. Best of all are the two commentaries, one by writer David Benioff, who based the screenplay on his own book, the other by Lee. Lee's is the better of the two, simply because his knowledge and enthusiasm for the filmmaking process makes for a more interesting listen.

While not specifically about the 9/11 tragedy per se, "25th Hour" serves as a tasteful and subtle eulogy, not to mention being a great study of characters at emotional crossroads. It's one of those movies where, while seemingly little appears to be happening on the surface, the viewer may find themselves thinking a lot about it long after it's over.