Rian Johnson's directorial debut has a simple but ingenious concept: What if you set a hard-boiled detective story in a modern high school? Retain the core structure, archetypal characters and colorful slang but instead of the protagonist being a world-weary gumshoe make him a teenage loner. This alteration turns out to be surprisingly effective in the hands of Johnson, who shows an obvious affinity for the genre.
In this case, our 'detective' is Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a high school student who at the beginning of the movie finds his ex-girlfriend dead. Suspecting murder, he delves into her recent past in an attempt to identify whoever's responsible. Along the way, we meet a varied cast of characters, from stooges to femme fatales, never knowing who can be trusted.
Rian Johnson's script revels in its use of the standard hard-boiled template. Core elements are given new life by being transplanted to a high school setting but what's really surprising is how well the material fits. For instance, high schoolers speaking in half-comprehensible slang is certainly nothing out of the ordinary. That being said, those who aren't familiar with hard-boiled detective stories and/or film noir probably won't get the most out of these references. Of course, since this is basically a detective story, the mystery at the heart of the movie is perhaps the most important element. The plot's twists and turns keep the movie interesting while winding towards a memorable conclusion. However, the fact that the story is characteristically convoluted may turn off some viewers.
The cast is decent but not great, which isn't too surprising given the miniscule budget. Joseph Gordon-Levitt basically carried the movie in one of his earliest breakout roles following "3rd Rock from the Sun". Lukas Haas was also highly memorable as the local drug kingpin. Besides that, there isn't a whole lot worth mentioning, though it was nice to see Richard Roundtree ("Shaft") in a small role.
Visually, the movie looks better than its budget would suggest. That being said, it isn't slick by any means, which actually suits the movie just fine. As a debut, it's an impressive effort. The music, by Rian's cousin Nathan Johnson, is reminiscent of film noir and I found it to be serviceable but nothing more.
Overall, "Brick" is a very interesting movie with its unique take on the mystery genre. The production may have been restricted somewhat by its low budget but the work of Johnson, Gordon-Levitt & Haas elevated it considerably. I'm certain that this movie won't be for everyone but for fans of hard-boiled fiction or film noirs this is a must see.
In this case, our 'detective' is Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a high school student who at the beginning of the movie finds his ex-girlfriend dead. Suspecting murder, he delves into her recent past in an attempt to identify whoever's responsible. Along the way, we meet a varied cast of characters, from stooges to femme fatales, never knowing who can be trusted.
Rian Johnson's script revels in its use of the standard hard-boiled template. Core elements are given new life by being transplanted to a high school setting but what's really surprising is how well the material fits. For instance, high schoolers speaking in half-comprehensible slang is certainly nothing out of the ordinary. That being said, those who aren't familiar with hard-boiled detective stories and/or film noir probably won't get the most out of these references. Of course, since this is basically a detective story, the mystery at the heart of the movie is perhaps the most important element. The plot's twists and turns keep the movie interesting while winding towards a memorable conclusion. However, the fact that the story is characteristically convoluted may turn off some viewers.
The cast is decent but not great, which isn't too surprising given the miniscule budget. Joseph Gordon-Levitt basically carried the movie in one of his earliest breakout roles following "3rd Rock from the Sun". Lukas Haas was also highly memorable as the local drug kingpin. Besides that, there isn't a whole lot worth mentioning, though it was nice to see Richard Roundtree ("Shaft") in a small role.
Visually, the movie looks better than its budget would suggest. That being said, it isn't slick by any means, which actually suits the movie just fine. As a debut, it's an impressive effort. The music, by Rian's cousin Nathan Johnson, is reminiscent of film noir and I found it to be serviceable but nothing more.
Overall, "Brick" is a very interesting movie with its unique take on the mystery genre. The production may have been restricted somewhat by its low budget but the work of Johnson, Gordon-Levitt & Haas elevated it considerably. I'm certain that this movie won't be for everyone but for fans of hard-boiled fiction or film noirs this is a must see.