This homage to classic film noir is unlike any film noir that has come before. Set in a modern high school, the characters talk like they’re straight out of the MALTESE FALCON or THE BIG SLEEP.
Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, MYSTERIOUS SKIN) is a loner, whose girlfriend Emily Kostach (Emilie de Ravin, TV’s LOST) has left him and gotten herself mixed up with some shady dealings. Right from the get-go we know she is died. We flashback to two days before her untimely demise to follow the events that led to her death and then follow Brendan as he tries to piece the murder together.
In his efforts, Brendan is aided by The Brain (Matt O’Leary, FRAILTY), a smart kid who seems to have the word on all the dealings at the school. Brendan starts with the cool kids Emily was hanging with, which includes wanna-be football star Brad (Brian J. White, MR. 3000), which leads to punk druggie Dode (Noah Segan, ADAM & STEVE). But nothing is as it seems. Brendan finds himself involved with twenty-something drug dealer The Pin (Lucas Haas, WITNESS) and his muscle Tugger (Noah Fleiss, STORYTELLING). And like any good film noir there are mysterious ladies such as school play diva Kara (Meagan Good, ROLL BOUNCE) and The Pin’s damsel Laura Dannon (Nora Zehetner, TV’s EVERWOOD).
In making his film debut, Rian Johnson has made a big splash. The crisp dialogue is dripping with pulp sensibility. It actually takes some time to get into the flow of the speech, but once you do it brings an extra level of enjoyment. It will take multiple viewings to understand it all. Sometimes a story will drown in a film with too much style, but here it skillfully elevates the material.
The plot twists and turns in ways that keep us guessing, but doesn’t cheat. Brendan learns the facts as we do. Remarkably, the picture attains a smoky underworld tone the entire way even when it’s satirizing itself with offbeat humor directed toward its teenage characters and modern high school setting.
Gordon-Levitt is quickly amassing a resume of impressive performances. He’s the real deal. Smart and willing to put himself on the line, Gordon-Levitt has a subtle intensity that makes Brendan a believable lover who would even die to find out the truth about Emily and get proper comeuppance for those who wronged her. Haas, the doe-eyed Amish kid from WITNESS, is all grown up and creates a character with archetypical style that’s unforgettable. Zehetner is the perfect femme fatale — shifting from scene to scene as a possible ally or a devious conniver. The question Brendan presents to all the characters is — what’s your angle?
The cinematography is perfect, adding to the uncertain tone of the tale. It’s muted tones highlighting the perfectly chosen settings work well with the material. It’s refreshing to see a forgotten genre brought back to life with such reverence and understanding. BRICK pays tribute to what has come before and yet creates its own distinct world as well. It’s the coolest film you’ll probably see all year. Do not miss it.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
