Small Details You May Have Missed In 25th Hour

Norton spits a dark, pessimistic interpretation of America at the mirror about one-third of the way into the film. The angry, hateful monologue presents a vision of New York City — and the US by implication — lost to tribal strife, unable to ever live up to the name United States. Ethnic, religious, racial, sexual, and even occupational divides have simply pushed us all too far apart.

In the film’s closing moments, Cox offers a rebuttal. Describing an America of second chances, where strangers provide a helping hand, James tries to tempt his son into running from incarceration. Laying out the promise of going West, but for modern times, he describes a country where people will recognize and respect a man trying to do better and not judge him for his past.

By nature of Monty and Naturelle’s ethnic and racial differences, it also visually mixes in an old-fashioned, melting pot vision of America. Seated among his multi-generational family, mixed-race children and grandchildren lovingly surround Norton.

It is, perhaps, a bit Pollyanna-ish, but that’s the point. Monty told himself a story about the absolute worst version of the United States in his father’s bar. In response, his dad tries to assert the possibility of America at its very best. A place of redemption where anyone has a chance. A place where we are all part of the American experiment and equally worthy of laying claim to it, no matter our demographic identifications.