Teaching theories and methods for the academic study of religion poses certain challenges, especially when first-year students are the primary targeted audience. In the following note from the classroom, the author describes a model for successfully employing the film "Fight Club" as a case study for exploring some of the theoretical concepts of Freud, Durkheim, and Weber. The author also considers what other pedagogical goals and learning methods can be integrated into a prolonged engagement with this film. Throughout the piece, the author attempts to assess what were the strengths and weaknesses of various aspects of this layered and developmentally oriented project as well as the potential benefits for employing material from popular culture in an introductory-level course.