Chapter 27

Starring Jared Leto as the demented Mark David Chapman, who “narrates” much of the film with an agitated mutter, Chapter 27 is an appallingly unfocused docudrama (practically devoid of context—either social or historical) that unfolds during the three days leading up to the murder of John Lennon in December 1980. Leto, who put on 60 pounds to play the paunchy killer, pretty much carries the picture, but his compelling performance is not, in and of itself, a reason to watch this rambling opus featuring Lindsay Lohan in the only major supporting role as a girl Chapman briefly befriends on the sidewalk outside the Dakota apartments, where Lennon lived with Yoko Ono. Writer-director J.P. Schaefer's script draws from interviews with Chapman conducted by crime reporter Jack Jones for his 1992 book Let Me Take You Down—a work that infuriated some Lennon fans by making an attempt (duplicated in the film) to present Chapman's psychological struggle in a compassionate manner. Like Jonas Ball's portrayal of Chapman in the similarly-themed and also problematic The Killing of John Lennon, Leto's deranged fanboy is memorable, but ultimately wasted in the absence of either a strong viewpoint or a sturdy narrative structure. Not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include an 11-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, and trailers. Bottom line: a small extras package for a disappointing film.] (E. Hulse)