The Most Paused Brad Pitt Moment In Fight Club

Directed by David Fincher with a screenplay by Jim Uhls, "Fight Club" has become a defining cult classic since its release in 1999, despite a mediocre domestic box office performance of just over $37 million (via Box Office Mojo). Based on the novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk, "Fight Club" follows the unnamed Narrator (Edward Norton), who, unhappy with his mundane job, begins a "fight club" with an erratic soap salesman, Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), as well as a relationship with the careless and strong-willed Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter).

Those who have seen the film know that it is arguably even more enjoyable the second time you watch it. This is entirely due to the bizarre ending of "Fight Club" — which is widely regarded as one of most shocking movie conclusions of all time — which reveals that the narrator and Tyler Durden are the same person and he has been mentally projecting Tyler throughout the story. Viewing it again, it makes sense that the Narrator never sees Tyler and Marla in the same room, and it's extremely engaging to pick out all of the signs that point to the ending before it happens.

With so many visual clues present throughout the film, there are naturally tons of paused moments within "Fight Club." But there's one, involving none other than Pitt's Tyler Durden, that viewers tend to pause most frequently.

In "Fight Club," the Narrator first meets Tyler Durden on a plane as he's coming home from a business trip. This meeting even has its own blatant clue for the movie's ending, as the Narrator points out that he and Tyler have "the exact same briefcase," to which Tyler says nothing in response. However, before this scene occurs, Tyler has already made a — very brief — appearance.

This initial appearance takes place during an encounter between the Narrator and his doctor. As the doctor speaks, there's an ultra quick flash of a figure behind him. For those who are able to pause this exact moment, you'll see that it's Tyler. It's a very early giveaway that Tyler doesn't actually exist — if he did, how would the narrator see flashes of him before they meet?

There are several other quick flashes of Tyler, all with poignant sound effects adding to the eeriness of the moment — including one very on-the-nose example right as the narrator laments that, "with insomnia, nothing's real." But it's the first flash of Tyler, behind the doctor, that's the most unexpected and jarring. Due to this, it's often considered the most paused moment of the film — or even one of the most paused moments of any movie ever — and appears on multiple lists on the topic, including Looper's most paused '90s movie moments.

Undeniably, it's the kind of shot you have to see at least twice — much like the whole of "Fight Club."