# Brick: Modern film noir so good that you will cry.



## Arty (Aug 29, 2006)

​
Double Indemnity. Touch of Evil. The Third Man. These are all classic noir movies. Movies that people admire more than they enjoy usually. Movies that most people can't handle these days because of the slow pacing and dialogue. I am not one of those people, but Brick is not one of those movies.

Brick is a new age of noir. Like the Coens tried with Man Who Wasn't There. It is a widely accessable movie that still holds the film noir tone.

Film summary from IMDB:



> In a modern-day Southern California neighborhood and high school, student Brendan Frye's piercing intelligence spares no one. He's not afraid to back up his words with actions, and knows all the angles; yet he prefers to stay an outsider, and does - until the day that his ex-girlfriend, Emily, reaches out to him unexpectedly and then vanishes. His feelings for her still run deep; so much so, that he becomes consumed with finding his troubled inamorata. To find her, he enlists the aid of his only true peer, the Brain, while keeping the assistant vice principal only occasionally informed of what quickly becomes a dangerous investigation. Brendan's single-minded unearthing of students' secrets thrusts him headlong into the colliding social orbits of rich-girl sophisticate Laura, intimidating Tugger, substance-abusing Dode, seductive Kara, jock Brad and - most ominously - non-student the Pin. Only by gaining acceptance into the Pin's closely guarded inner circle of crime and punishment that Brendan will be able to uncover hard truths about himself, Emily and the suspects that he is getting closer to.



It is a classic bare bones noir detective story set in a high school. Vice Principals replace police chiefs. Spunky high school kids replace grown men in suits and fedoras. And it is wonderful.

The acting: Joseph Gordon Levitt plays Brendan, you might know him as that scrawny kid from Third Rock From The Sun. He's grown up, and he's one hell of an actor. Him and Brain exchange lines faster than you can hear. The snappy dialogue has perfect delivery and the only person I can really complain about is The Pin.

The script: The script seems like it was first written as a bare bones noir detective story and then slowly transformed into a high school noir drama. Most of the lines seem like they can be replaced with "vice principal" as "police chief" and "lunch" as "coffee". This is no problem, because the screenplay is nearly perfect.

The dialogue is ripped straight out of classic noir, the pacing is perfect and the story unfolds itself easy enough for you to see. You have to pay attention, but not too much.

The directing: Old black and white filters are replaced with bright colors and scenery and fast camera angles. If Touch of Evil gave you a headache, you're in for a treat. The setting is a perfect run down suburban dump of a boring town. Each shot is thought out as it's own little portrait. A good example is the scene where Brendan is calling Brain downtown from a payphone. There is a reflection off the streetlights, a bright red 50s looking "TELEPHONE" sign. The light flickers off Brendan's face.

It is the essence of noir thrown through a new age filter.

Enough dissecting the movie, let me get down to watching it. There is no real way to hate Brick. It is possible to just enjoy it, but I have not seen anyone hating it. It's near 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes has a couple of reviews that list the faults as the high school backdrop and overdone noir homage, but most people consider those pros.

Throughout the movie, you will be saying "this is awesome" to yourself. The movie keeps you interested with it's ultra fast pacing and snail's revealing of the story. Most of the scenes aren't just snappy dialogue and camera angles, there is alot of action involved in this flick. You won't be bored.

I didn't go in expecting THAT much from the  They give you a hook, but I usually don't trust the stuff. After watching the movie, the trailer almost makes it look _bad._

I will say that Brick is one of the best movies I've ever seen. I've probably seen a little over 300, most of which I can't remember. It is a perfect movie in my eyes. The pacing, the directing, the story, the dialogue, the acting, it's all right on the money. If you are not one with the noir genre yet, after this movie you will fill your Netflix queue with the first titles mentioned in this post. You will dim the lights in your room and wear a fedora everywhere. You might even get a jazz band to follow you around.

I cannot say enough good things about this movie. For a more down to earth verdict, lots and lots of people found Sin City the best movie of 2005. I want anyone that says that to take a look at this movie. As much as I loved Sin City, it doesn't hold a candle to this film.



And to think, this was a directorial debut.

Amazon link
Netflix link


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## mow (Aug 29, 2006)

oh my, this i have to rent


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## ageofdarkness (Aug 29, 2006)

Hm, there's a neo-noir feeling to it. I'll check this out.


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## Sid (Aug 30, 2006)

This film is so good, it's ridiculous. I don't have anything to add to Arty's review really, he's spot on.

The posters are very cool too, I want them. All of them:

A very long, very extensive citing article on the subject


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## sunshine and gasoline (Aug 30, 2006)

This sounds intresting. I'm downloading it right now. Great write-up!


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## Arty (Aug 30, 2006)

Sid said:
			
		

> This film is so good, it's ridiculous. I don't have anything to add to Arty's review really, he's spot on.
> 
> The posters are very cool too, I want them. All of them:
> 
> Link removed



Buy me the entire poster set Sid I'll pay you back in hair


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## CrazyMoronX (Aug 30, 2006)

I want to watch it...


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## Sid (Aug 30, 2006)

autistic-artistic said:
			
		

> Buy me the entire poster set Sid I'll pay you back in hair



Only if you grow an afro.


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## jkingler (Aug 30, 2006)

Hrm. I think I will check this out. Now-ish. You'd better not steer me wrong, Artyyyyy!!!!


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## Arty (Aug 30, 2006)

Another reason this movie is great is because of all the weird 50's slang they use. "It's duck soup."


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## Sid (Sep 4, 2006)

_Ask any dope rat where their junk sprang and they'll say they scraped it from that, who scored it from this, who bought it off so, and after four or five connections the list always ends with The Pin. But I bet you, if you got every rat in town together and said "Show your hands" if any of them've actually seen The Pin, you'd get a crowd of full pockets._

This film = great dialogue


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## Arty (Sep 4, 2006)

Sid said:
			
		

> _Ask any dope rat where their junk sprang and they'll say they scraped it from that, who scored it from this, who bought it off so, and after four or five connections the list always ends with The Pin. But I bet you, if you got every rat in town together and said "Show your hands" if any of them've actually seen The Pin, you'd get a crowd of full pockets._
> 
> This film = great dialogue



Goddamn that is an awesome line.


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## mow (Sep 4, 2006)

I cant find this movie anywhere and I cant d/l it .___.


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## Tokio_no_Go (Sep 4, 2006)

A great great great movie. Although if you have ever watched a few Noir films before, you already know the whole plot and the twists are predictable, but for my friends who never watched any of those old goodies found this movie amazing and very unpredictable. Although I still think Sin City was better, I don't like to compare the two. Its comparing apples to oranges simply because their both fruits. See this movie.


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## Arty (Sep 4, 2006)

tokio_no_go said:
			
		

> A great great great movie. Although if you have ever watched a few Noir films before, you already know the whole plot and the twists are predictable, but for my friends who never watched any of those old goodies found this movie amazing and very unpredictable. Although I still think Sin City was better, I don't like to compare the two. Its comparing apples to oranges simply because their both fruits. See this movie.



You are correct, but they are related in that they both attempt to reinvent noir(even though Sin City is so neo noir it's bordering on not being noir)

Also the twist at the ending wasn't very predictable and I've seen way too many noir flicks.


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## Lacus Clyne (Sep 7, 2006)

moe said:
			
		

> I cant find this movie anywhere and I cant d/l it .___.



You must find it moemoe! It's a very good movie! *Sends moe a copy*


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## kapsi (Sep 22, 2006)

Wow, American high schools are serious business.


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## colours (Oct 5, 2008)

*BRICK (2005)*



*BRICK*
_In a modern-day Southern California neighborhood and high school, student Brendan Frye's piercing intelligence spares no one. He's not afraid to back up his words with actions, and knows all the angles; yet he prefers to stay an outsider, and does - until the day that his ex-girlfriend, Emily, reaches out to him unexpectedly and then vanishes. His feelings for her still run deep; so much so, that he becomes consumed with finding his troubled inamorata. To find her, he enlists the aid of his only true peer, the Brain, while keeping the assistant vice principal only occasionally informed of what quickly becomes a dangerous investigation. Brendan's single-minded unearthing of students' secrets thrusts him headlong into the colliding social orbits of rich-girl sophisticate Laura, intimidating Tugger, substance-abusing Dode, seductive Kara, jock Brad and - most ominously - non-student the Pin. Only by gaining acceptance into the Pin's closely guarded inner circle of crime and punishment that Brendan will be able to uncover hard truths about himself, Emily and the suspects that he is getting closer to. _​

so has anyone seen this?

*Spoiler*: _rambling_ 



this is probably now one of my favorite movies. it was so intense and i sometimes forgot that these were actually high school students. i fell inlove immediately with joseph gordon-levitt's character, brendan. it was so interesting to find out all these different connections to this one girls death. the death of his ex-girlfriend didn't really do anything for me, i was more interested in brendan and laura<3 oh and the brain, which i wish we found out his real name, was so cute and smart.



it was quite entertaining​


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## colours (Oct 6, 2008)

like hell if i know, i didn't see it on the first page, so i made a thread :3


it was so wonderful


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## rockstar sin (Oct 6, 2008)

Everytime I meant to watch this movie, something comes up.  I need to finally catch it om television or download it.


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## colours (Oct 6, 2008)

it was on hbo last night

if you have comcast it may be on demand :]


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## spirishman (Oct 6, 2008)

Easily one of my three favorite movies


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## colours (Oct 6, 2008)

agreed and i read that the effects used in the movie weren't that expensive
but everything looked so nicely done and efficient


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## olaf (Oct 6, 2008)

Rockst☆r Sin said:


> Everytime I meant to watch this movie, something comes up.  I need to finally catch it om television or download it.


shit, movie was awesome


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## colours (Oct 6, 2008)

adrien brody


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## Chee (Oct 6, 2008)

I'll check it out Amanda.


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## olaf (Oct 6, 2008)

colours said:


> adrien brody


WAIT, WAT?

no adrien brody in this movie


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## colours (Oct 6, 2008)

Chee said:


> I'll check it out Amanda.



please do cheecakes 



Madonna said:


> WAIT, WAT?
> 
> no adrien brody in this movie



um, yes in the brothers bloom 

adrien is bloom


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## olaf (Oct 6, 2008)

colours said:


> please do cheecakes
> 
> 
> 
> ...


hmm, girl u make my hea spinn

but I have to agree, adrien is in brothers bloom


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## colours (Oct 6, 2008)

that's what i was talking about boy


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## Chee (Jan 4, 2009)

I watched a little bit of it. I turned it off. It was ridiculous.

I didn't like the way it was trying to be a film noir, it should've just _been_ a film noir.


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