Brick 4/5 reviewed by Ben

I didn’t hear about this movie being in theatres, although I think it was briefly, but it’s recently been released on DVD.

This movie is simultaneously simple and yet very complicated to describe. It’s basically a hard-boiled Crime Noir detective story, that takes place in a modern-day High School, and all the characters are 17-18 year old students. It’s certainly a weird combination of genre and setting that I never would think could work without being really cheesy, but shockingly, it comes across wonderfully, becoming a fun combination of homage and inventiveness. Like most detective yarns, I can’t tell you too much of the plot without giving away everything, but here’s the basic tale: The opening scene is a dead girl, being watched by a curious kid named Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Back up a few days, and we see that this girl, Emily (Emilie deRaven) was involved with him at some point in the past, and is now in trouble, and in need of Brendan’s help. Brendan sets off on a hunt for clues and gets caught up in complicated social circles, plenty of brawls, and a pile of scandals that make you constantly ask: “Who is this kid—thinks he’s Sam Spade?”

The story is gripping, and wonderfully layered. Writer and Director Rian Johnson gives you just enough clues to string you along, but keep you guessing. At the same time, everything fits into the classic mold of an old fashioned crime noir tale. There’s the beautiful, seductive, yet untrustworthy dangerous girl, the quick-thinking, flawed hero who does what he has to (including getting the crap beat out of him) because he believes in something and someone, and the authority figure who keeps pushing the hero, the tough guy, the crime boss, the bizarre yet compelling informants (durggies, whores, and straight-up smart nerds).

Even the dialogue is spoken with that quick, sharp Raymond Chandler/Dashiell Hammett edge—it makes you think we’re back in the 1940’s, and the lone trumpet wailings on the soundtrack reinforce it. This Gordon-Levitt kid convinced me that he was the bastard love child of Humphrey Bogart and Jack Nicholson (as he was in Chinatown). The directing is also superb. The fact that this director is coming out of nowhere like this (the only other movie listed on imdb is a project he did in film school) is shocking, ‘cause this guys knows how to use a camera. Every shot is used specifically and intentionally for maximum impact. Carefully placed angles that create tension, or calm—well-timed jump cuts… Yeah, this guy knows his stuff.

What’s so weird is that the whole time you’re thinking to yourself—wait—aren’t they like, 18? Isn’t this like, a High School in sunny California? Well, yeah, and it’s what makes the film endearing. The weird setting allows the film to really ride the line between dark, disturbing crime story, and light-hearted, "isn’t this cool?" fun. If you replaced all the characters with adults, and changed the setting, this would be a great noir Private-Eye story—but it’d be just another one on top of a pile of others. As it is, it stands apart as a fantastic tribute and love letter to the genre, while simultaneously being inventive and able to hold it’s own.

See This Movie If:
-You like Hard-Boiled Detective Noir stories
-You like any of the following films: Chinatown, LA Confidential, Columbo, The Maltese Falcon, Sin City, etc.
-You like movies with a puzzle, and want to follow a string of clues and want to try and figure out what’s happening before the protagonist does.

Don’t See This Movie If:
-You have a hard time following really complex plots that are never spelled out
-You can’t keep up with fast-talking, slag-filled dialouge that asks the audience to connect the dots
-You’re in the mood for a romantic comedy