Brick Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: After his ex-girlfriend reaches out for help, a young man tries to solve the mystery of her murder.

Review: The first thing someone should understand about this film is that it is meant to be an homage to the noir sub-genre--or if you're feeling fancy you would simply call this neo-noir.  I've read so many dumbass reviews about this film by, what I'm guessing must be, ignorant little kids or something. Yeah, noir is a genre that died out like 60 years ago, but welcome to the internet boys and girls. You don't have to be a film buff to figure this out that's for sure. Now if you're simply not a fan of the genre--I know it's not my field of interest--then that's fine, but the complaints I've heard don't indicate that being the case; the complaint I heard most was in regards to the dialogue with many claiming it's "unrealistic." Really? That's like watching a musical and questioning why is everyone singing. Noir is stylized imagery with the characters employing colorful language. Ughh...well, the critics at least understood what the film was striving for, and the movie does portray a faithful noir-feel while implementing a unique take on the genre. So, instead of the story involving a shady part of a city with a burnt out private detective, we get a suburb with a high school student.

Essentially we see the tale of Brendan, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as he is contacted by his ex-girlfriend who appears in over her head about something. Brendan serves as our detective in this instance although I felt he needed a better back story. As with many crime dramas, Brendan interrogates random suspects and tries to fish for information. Using the high school setting works brilliantly here as you can easily create the parallels between high school life and the seedy underbelly of a big city. Brendan has a go-to man that is like the school geek who gets him that extra information. The criminal hierarchy is essentially the school's cool kids and then down the ranks. The brothel-like atmosphere is supposed to be the drama department. The chief of police and that whole ex-cop banter is provided to us via the school principal and staff. It's really clever the way the classic noir plot elements are presented through mundane high school cliches.

The writer/director certainly had a vision for what he wanted to see, and I think he accomplished this perfectly. The attention to detail is maybe the single best triumph of the film. However, the film starts to drift from a satire of the genre to a more straightforward crime drama which creates a conflict in direction. What I mean to say is that many plot elements come off almost comical due to the situation. For example, when we meet the main criminal mastermind he is just some dork living in his mom's basement. But the subject of the overall film is serious...that being the murder of Brendan's ex-girlfriend. I can't really reconcile this approach in my mind. If the crime being investigated fit the tone of the film, it would match, but you have a satirical tone mixed with serious crimes; beyond the murder you have the very basis of the plot involving drug dealers. Then we have the added layer of the final reveal as to why everything started happening. Although this too was a perfect throwback to how a noir mystery would be resolved, it makes things that much more serious when the films ends. I won't spoil it this time, but let's just say the murderer isn't always the person physically pulling the trigger. And the last twist was kind of messed up considering the final shot had like a "see you in homeroom tomorrow" feel to it.

Overall, I would have to advise that this film is not for everyone. No doubt, it's a solid detective story backed with a creative setting and an apropos resolution to the mystery, but the noir genre is an acquired taste. In regards to the noir aspects, the film is spot on, accurate in the finer nuances, and as faithful as any classic in the genre. On the other hand, the film may successfully utilize an everyday setting to tell a dark story, but it keeps making it apparent that outsiders aren't taking things seriously. There are a few weak aspects in the story as well, but I can overlook and appreciate what they were going for. If you're curious about something different, or are an actual fan of the genre, then check this out. It's well acted, quite clever, and serves as an excellent movie that provides a unique experience.

Notable Moment: Probably when Brendan is eating breakfast at the Pin's house. What a surreal moment. They definitely should have decided ahead of time whether they wanted this film to be taken entirely serious.

Final Rating: 7/10