Chapter 27
Treading a fine line between generic exploitation and an incisive glimpse into a killer’s mind, J.P. Schaefer’s Chapter 27 is a genuine, if not earnest, attempt by the filmmakers to understand the emotional psychosis that led Mark David Chapman to murder John Lennon in 1980 outside of the Dakota building in New York City. Distributed by Peace Arch Films and featuring a cast consisting of perennial heartthrob Jared Leto, Lindsay Lohan, and comedian Judah Friedlander, Chapter covers the three day weekend over which, the story proposes, Chapman arrived in New York to kill the man whom he felt had sold out his principles and become, using The Catcher in the Rye’s iconic hero Holden Caulfield’s term, a “phony”.
Chapman’s obsession with J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye features prominently within the story as well it should; this delusional young man had come to feel that he was Caulfield himself and after witnessing Lennon’s seemingly betrayal of his Beatles past could not stand by and allow him to live. At the film’s onset, we hear Chapman (played by Leto) discuss in voiceover that we, the audience, are not going to hear about his past, how his family betrayed him, etc. We are only to focus on the weekend in which he committed this still-shocking murder.
While the decision to focus on this specific time frame provides a definite narrative shape, at times one wishes that some screen time was focused on Chapman’s background to further flesh out what specific events or persons molded his obsession with both Lennon and Catcher. At the film’s center though lies Leto’s performance as Chapman and it is a definite step-up for the actor who has often been praised more for his good looks than acting ability ala Brad Pitt. To fully commit to this role, Leto went the Method route perfected by Robert De Niro and Charlize Theron by packing on thirty-six pounds onto his svelte frame. According to reports, Leto’s substantial weight gain led to severe physical problems on set including being unable to walk near the end of shooting.
Like all artists, both great and small, a little suffering at times can pay off and Leto’s physical transformation does do the trick in convincing you that indeed Mark David Chapman is before you and not Jared Leto. It may sound somewhat trite but it worked for both Raging Bull and Monster so there you go. However, Leto plays up the obvious physical awkwardness carrying the weight and uses it to externalize Chapman’s emotional awkwardness as he tries to keep bottled up a vast well of anger and disappointment that bubbles to the surface at times, lashing out unexpectedly like a cornered dog finally snapping back.
The film is guided by his off-screen narration as he regales us the events of that weekend, in a somewhat disconnected, sing-song tone that comes off as stilted and affected yet works as a mechanism to hold back his disgust. Schaefer follows Chapman around and attempts to transport us into this man’s psyche not unlike Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver. However Bickle transfixes us with his chillingly clear-minded yet psychotic philosophies, Chapman, as portrayed here, is a jumble of hazy thoughts and blustering awkwardness barely containing an inner repugnance. Leto certainly makes an impressive go at the material he’s provided and, at the very least, his Chapman is a strong entry in his overall career.
While Leto at least stretches himself with Chapman, Lohan delivers a performance as Jude that is neither revelatory nor horrible either. Whatever one may think of her personally, Lohan always brings to the table a certain charm that sometimes gets her over and sometimes not. In this particular case, it does not but it is not her fault as Jude is written blandly enough that any actress of similar age could be slotted in without trouble. In the end, the film emerges as an interesting sketchbook throwing out ideas in a sometimes impressionistic manner regarding Chapman. For many people, John Lennon’s murder still strikes a deep chord and this movie may not exactly be on their must-see lists. But if you are willing to take a chance on biographical material as controversial as Chapter 27, not perfect by any means but with enough good things in it to definitely observe, then this may be your film.