Review of Brick (2006) by Ryan M — 29 Oct 2010

7.6/10.

"Brick" is an entertaining homage to neo-noirs. Hell, it might as well be one on its own. Nevertheless, it's a smartly made film. Why, you ask? Because it stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, its indie, and it's smartly written. That's why. Put those things together and you'll probably get a genuinely good movie. I'm not saying that "Brick" is an amazing film; I'm just saying it's a pretty good one. Most of the credit goes to the film for making you think, and the rest of it goes straight to Levitt for his effort. And anything in between goes to the entertainment factor, which is rather high. But what I admire the most is the film's ability to adapt a neo-noir feel with a high school setting with ease. That's how smart this film is. It's easy to recommend considering most people either like Joseph Gordon-Levitt or enjoy a good homage to just about anything. I know I do. So...if I had complaints about "Brick", what would they be? I do in fact know the answer to that question. The characters in "Brick" do not have much character aside from their selective lifestyles. There's a drug addict, a big-muscle tough guy, a rich girl, a seductive beauty, and then there's the central character. None of these people are really interesting aside from their choice of lifestyle, which is both a complaint and a part of my praise. It's kind of obvious that the lifestyle part of these characters was intended to stand out, but the problem is that there are so many characters yet so little time to figure any of them out. What could have been an engrossing character study which piles itself on top of the already good aspects of the film is lost in what is still a good film, but it could have been better. Nevertheless, the plot was good, the acting was good, the camera work was good...well, I'd say most of the stuff was good. It's not that anything about "Brick" is "bad", it's just that a whole lot of it just isn't "wonderful". And I'm fine with "good", as long as it's as "good" as it is here. "Brick", like it or not, sets the stage for aspiring neo-noirs of the modern age, and hopefully some of them will reach perfection. But as it stands, this is quality indie filmmaking. It's not as beautiful as it should have been and it isn't the most memorable movie out there, but if you can, take the ticket. It will be worth it once it's over.

The film chooses to open without explanation. Brendan, the film's central hero, overlooks the dead body of a blonde girl about his age, which is lying in a storm drain. Luckily, the film gives us a little explanation before it goes into the actual story. The girl was apparently the one-time girlfriend of Brendan, although we spend a lot of time figuring out who killed the girl and why somebody would want to. I'll tell you up front that all of our questions are answered by the time the film reaches its end, although if there are any complaints at all, it's regarding the characters involved in such a story. While it's genuinely well written and certainly makes you think quite a bit, "Brick" throws at us way too many characters. Each and every one of these characters is all lifestyle and no personality. None of them are deep people, as the film implies, although it's forgivable given that the movie itself is pretty entertaining. Another slight problem I have is that the story shifts from a murder mystery to a drug/crime drama almost abruptly. Maybe that's not a problem, but rather the film's style. I don't really care given that it didn't hurt the movie too much. After all, how can you hurt a movie that is good as it is? The story is well written and often times complex. If it confuses you, then it's doing its job. It's never simplistic for its own good, but that's precisely the point. If only the characters had been more interesting and deep ,this would have been a perfect neo-noir homage. But...I'm happy with what the filmmakers were able to muster up with their gifts. It makes me want to see whatever other films they dare to cook up. Hopefully next time, the characters will have depth. Maybe next time, friends. Maybe next time.

Who doesn't love Joseph Gordon-Levitt? How can you resist such charm combined with wit and power? It's impossible, to be honest. Sure, Levitt may have been mis-cast for a few roles, but they were always minor. Whenever he's a major character, he's bound to be good. He was first known for indie films and now he's moving to main-stream. I think that's wonderful, to be honest. In fact, I think that' great. And while "Brick" probably isn't his absolute best performance, it's another one of the good ones. Levitt helps make the movie; he gives his character more power than he is capable of. The only problem with Levvit's character is that he's like the others; he is part of such a large yet nearly unidentified cast of characters. I have no problem with Levvit's performance; quite in fact, I loved it, but his character should have been a better one. Lukas Haas really stuck out at me despite being a supporting character. For some reason, I though there was something genuinely special about the way he performed. Emilie de Ravin, for the time that she's in, is also good. And from there, there's the rest of the supporting cast which consists of plenty of talent but little memorability. Nothing is particularly memorable about "Brick" in general although there's nothing worth forgetting either. It's just how the film is set up, and it's not its flaw to be a tad confusing in both its characters and its well written plot.

"Brick" is very artsy. Most indie films are. Visually, it's a spectacularly presented film from beginning to end. Story-wise, it's also creative. Not so much in its characters is it intriguing, but it sure as hell caught me on its hook from the moment it began to the moment the credits started rolling. My attention was diverted to this film every single moment of those One Hundred and Ten minutes. It was good enough for that. Visually, this film kept me hooked. The cinematography is crafty as hell; never failing to get consistently interesting angles out of its low budget shortcomings. This is a film where major production design just isn't needed, but then again why would it? The music is repetitive but good, never stopping to be both unique and genuinely interesting. The music does, however, build a pretty good atmosphere. One moment, "Brick" is a thriller, and another it is a drama. Perhaps it is both, as many films are. If any of that sounds good to you, then it probably is. I would recommend "Brick" to anyone who enjoys a good thriller, a good drama, or a good film in general. This is not a flawless movie but it is one of the most unique films of its year; a wonderful example of how to make a proper neo-noir homage. It's no genre film, but it doesn't need to be. No matter how unpleasant some of the moments tend to be, "Brick" still manages to be one heck of a film. And it's all thanks to the crafty bastard by the name of Rian Johnson. I look forward to what he has cooking in his filmic pot for next time I visit his filmography.

"Brick" may not be as incredible as I hoped it would be, but it's still a well written, often times tense drama/thriller. The shifts in tone are never abrupt enough for their own good, and the film is spectacularly crafty in its artsy qualities. This film is easy to recommend considering that everyone likes a well written yet imperfect film once in a while. As it stands, this is as good as "Brick" gets, and I'm fine with that. The first act is wonderful, the second act is slightly less wonderful, and the third and final act reveals all. Most of our questions are answered, making "Brick" one of the few films to leave us with but an open mind to thought-provoking ideas. I admire this film, and it is good, so I have few complaints. If only the characters had been a little more interesting, "Brick" would have been complex as both a story and character study. Sadly, it's only interesting as a study in its storytelling. It's somewhat of a shame, because it could have been so much better. But in times like these, you kind of have to say "what the hell, I'll watch it". And you should do just that, because I honestly do recommend "Brick" for what it's worth. I can't say that it will offend anybody with whatever content it could potentially have, so therefore it should appeal to those who like the kind of film that it is. Take it as you will.