BrickBrick DVD Movie Review |
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Truly original and inventive films are few and far between, so when a movie like Brick comes along, dedicated cinema fans owe it to themselves to support such an ambitious endeavor. We’ll never be able to stem the tide of Scary Movie sequels, but at least we can ensure that quality movies continue to be made in independent circles. Brick begins with our hero, high school student Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), gazing thoughtfully at the dead body of a young woman. As for the woman’s identity, we’ll have to wait a bit, as the film immediately jumps back in time two days.
As his search continues, the stakes get higher and higher, eventually placing Brendan in the path of a twentysomething drug lord called The Pin (Lukas Haas) and his violent henchmen Tugger (Noah Fleiss). And as the dizzying mystery finally begins to unravel, Brendan’s search for answers slowly morphs into a quest for revenge. The dialogue in Brick comes at a rapid pace, and the young men and women of San Clemente High often use a slang language all their own. Casual viewing will probably leave you somewhat lost as the plot twists and turns. Bottom line - turn up the volume and make sure anyone else in the room keeps their mouth shut. Brick is a movie that demands your full attention. You’d be hard pressed to find another film which melds the genres of a teen movie and hard-boiled detective thriller. From Brendan’s initial contact with Emily (the client), to his interviews with the various cliques (the suspects), the entire film follows the plotlines laid out in such classics as The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon. Along the way, we’re also treated to the crime lord, his muscle, and the authority figure who sweats our intrepid hero. Sounds familiar, right? The similarities also extend into the action department. This isn’t a movie where people just sit around and talk. Brendan has to do some work with his fists as well, and for a loner kid with glasses he seems more than capable of taking care of himself. Of course, like in any good detective tale, he also takes his fair share of lumps along the way. While the supporting cast is good, there’s no doubt that this is Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s movie. His performance is terrific, and he seems light years removed from the little kid on Third Rock from the Sun. Brendan is a loner by nature, but he seems willing to risk it all for a damsel in distress (another hallmark of the old detective films). Gordon-Levitt plays him with a quiet intensity - the thoughtful kid who sits in the back and takes everything in. However, when the situation warrants it, he’s not afraid to beat a suspect into talking or arrange a double-cross. This is one kid who doesn’t take any crap. He also gets a lot of help from writer/director Rian Johnson. The script is fast-paced and requires the audience to concentrate in order to keep up. I like that. Too many movies these days allow the viewer to simply put their brain on autopilot. My only complaint would be that the dialogue seems a tad artificial and forced sometimes, but it’s hardly enough to drag down the movie. As a director, Johnson gets some nice performances from his young cast and handles the action scenes with a crisp energy. It’s also interesting to note how Brendan solves the various situations that he finds himself in. While some may be resolved in a manner we’ve seen before, Johnson also throws in some new and inventive solutions (like when Brendan has to escape from a knife-wielding assailant. From time to time, the script also pauses to remind us that we’re watching kids and not residents of a 40’s noir classic. For example, the drug lord known as The Pin lives in his mother’s basement and is fond of the Tolkien books. Brad is always complaining about not getting enough playing time on the football field. Laura smokes cigarettes and recites poetry. Yes, it’s the kind of shallow behavior that we all remember from our days in the public school system. Overall, Brick is a solid independent film. While it may lack the knock-your-socks-off energy of something like Pulp Fiction, intelligent moviegoers should have nothing to complain about. It’s just another example of how a well-crafted, low-budget film can often run rings around its Hollywood counterparts. Grade: B+ If you like this film, you might also enjoy:
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Brendan is contacted by an old flame named Emily (Emilie de
Ravin) who‘s obviously in some sort of trouble. She disappears soon after,
and Brendan quickly picks up her trail and begins an artful navigation of
the various cliques within his school (with a little help from fellow
outcast Brain (Matt O‘Leary)). From the manipulative drama student Kara
(Meagan Good), the aggressive jock Brad (Brian White), and the wealthy femme
fatale Laura (Nora Zehetner), Brendan conducts his investigation with wits
and fists that would make Phillip Marlowe and Sam Spade proud - all the while
keeping the heat (in the form of Richard Roundtree as Assistant V.P. Trueman)
off of his back.
High School Film Noir with Joseph Gordon-Levitt |
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