Chapter 27

Step into the mind of a deranged stalker…Listen to the tortured, obsessive, thoughts as he rambles on and on.

That's the premise of this strange but well-done film about the man who killed John Lennon. If you're looking for a good date movie, forget it—unless your date is a forensic psychologist or a CSI fan. This film is not "entertainment." The director's intent was to explore the internal state of Mark David Chapman in the three days leading up to his murder of Lennon.

For those who are upset that this film was ever made, be assured that it in no way glorifies Chapman. Though the director wants us to empathize, i.e., understand the mind of the killer, he does not try for sympathy. Chapman is presented as the pathetic loser he actually was. Jared Leto, who gained 60 pounds for the role (the resemblance is eerie) gives us a portrayal of a weird, annoying pest. So annoying in fact that it's hard to believe that Jude, the Lindsay Lohan character (who may nor may not have existed), would want to pal around with him. I guess she is supposed to feel sorry for him.

The other Chapman—Mark Lindsay Chapman (no comment on the name, that's been done to death, pardon the expression, elsewhere) is equally good in his all too brief role as John Lennon. As the director, J.P. Shaefer, has said elsewhere, he wanted someone to play Lennon as a real person, not an icon. Mark Lindsay Chapman's portrayal is down-to-earth and matter of fact—just like the real Lennon. He sounds eerily like the real Lennon too. MLC is a brilliant choice and cosmically appropriate. He was chosen from a field of 200 to play Lennon in a TV movie back in 1988 (when he was calling himself Mark Lindsay). When Yoko Ono found out his real name, she fired him—bad karma. Now it has come full circle and MLC finally gets to play the role--almost as if it was his destiny.

The film is somewhat artsy (which is both good and bad) but it is fairly good at capturing the essence the obsessive stalker mentality. Leto is excellent in the role, making you believe that you are actually seeing Mark David Chapman. But if you want to know why he did it, you'll have to look elsewhere. It does not explore Chapman's background—his religious fanaticism, his teenage obsession with Lennon, or the crushing disappointment when Lennon announced jokingly that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus.

Chapter 27 won't be everyone's cup of mocha latte. It's disturbing and weird—just like Mark David Chapman. It's not a film you will "like," but it is a film that you may find interesting. It may not give insight in to the "why" but it does paint a striking picture of the "how." Arcania

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.

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.

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.

Slow and Painful. Two words that aptly describe the assassination of John Lennons.

Acting: Jared Leto is Mark Chapman. The weight gain, the accent, the mannerisms, the eccentric disturbing yet intriguing eyes. His acting is nothing short of excellent. Lindsay Lohan is believable, however, her character is esssentially non-existent.

Directing: Loneliness. The feeling is loneliness is excellently captured by director J.P. Schaefer. I don't want to compare this work to Taxi Driver but both pieces contain a broken, lonely main character in New York. The feeling of loneliness is beautifully capture. I felt lonely watching this movie, i felt all alone. Something i haven't felt since watching Taxi Driver.

Script: It won't be an Oscar winning script. You won't leave the theatre feeling mystified as you did after you saw fight club and the usual suspects. However, the script fits perfectly. Critics have crucified Chapter 27 saying it does not give an in-depth look into the mind of the killer. But that's not the point of the film, Mark Chapman even admits this a few minutes into the film.

If you feel it's too soon to watch a movie about John Lennon don't watch it. The actual killing scene, although not graphic, is very powerful. But if you have the choice of seeing this movie, give it a go.