Review of Brick (2006) by William L — 13 Apr 2012
Brick is definitely the best high school movie released in the last decade or so, and while its script definitely overplays its hand at times, overall, writer/director Rian Johnson's debut is a solid movie.
It's a neo-noir thriller in the vein of The Maltese Falcon, transposed onto the plain of a California high school, in which a tough-talking loner attempts to uncover the mysterious murder of his ex-girlfriend.
Brick's reach definitely exceeds its grasp, as Johnson's script gets a little too messy and convoluted at times. But, surprisingly, despite the incredibly dense and complex murder plot, I was never bored, mostly due to Johnson's ingenious direction, Nathan Johnson's old-school score, and the top-notch performances he coaches from the young actors.
A young Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes the lead as Brendan Fry, and damn, if the man isn't a chameleon. Gordon-Levitt is an actor who is very adept at disappearing into his roles, whether it be the Point Man in Inception, the hopeless romantic in (500) Days of Summer, or the gumshoe we see here.
He gives a career-launching performance, and his smart characterization carries the film when the plot fails. Nora Zehetner, Lukas Haas, Noah Fleiss, and Matt O'Leary give strong supporting performances while Emilie De Ravin and Richard Roundtree pop up for cameos.
Johnson bit off a little more than he could chew, but overall, Brick is a solid directorial debut with a very unique style.
This review of Brick (2006) was written by William L on 13 Apr 2012.
Brick has generally received positive reviews.
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