Reviews

Brick - New to DVD

There have been a few exceptions where I have been wowed by a film and wished I could be within that world, no matter the dangers. Brick, at this moment, is at the top of that list. First time director Rian Johnson has created a sexy, intense and original world that draws you in and refuses to let go.

Brick exists in a world much like ours, but slightly eschewed. It exists in a world where the teenagers act like adults, but speak their own language and it’s a language I want to learn. Hell, I’ve used invented slang a time or two, but this language is great. The dialogue can get a little complex, but for the most part you get the drift. This all comes from the works of writer Dashiel Hammet (best known for The Thin Man and The Maltese Falcon). The words, like his, come fast and sharp; nothing is wasted.

Also within this world is a certain look and feel. Most noir is dark, cold and has sharp corners. Brick is California noir. The picture feels warm, has soft lighting and beautiful sunsets, and yet still retains that dangerous sex that inhabits most noir.

The skinny on this little picture is this: Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is trying to help out an ex-girlfriend who seems to have gotten into some trouble. Before he can really do anything to help her, she turns up dead. This event propels Brendan into a world he already knows some of and accepts, but despises on another level. Laura (Nora Zehetner) wants to help him, but our man knows a devil when he sees one and doesn’t quite trust her. To get to the marrow of this case Brendan seeks out The Pin (Lucas Haas) and enlists in his underworld gang. The Pin’s primary henchman Tugger (Noah Fleiss) is a ticking time bomb and may be more involved with this case than you think. In all of this The Brain (Matt O’Leary) is Brendan’s only ally and acts as his analyst.

All the archetypes within any given piece of noir are all filled in this film. You have your hero private dick, the dame, the femme fatal, the boss and his flunkie, the informer, the low lives and the cops. Yet all of these roles are fulfilled in oh so creative ways. Andy explained this point in his review so I won’t repeat, but I digress. It is this point that makes the film special. I agree that if this film were played out as adults, Brick would have been lost in the shuffle, but with having the kids play it out the film becomes unique.

Every past generation looks to the one ahead and sees that those new kids are bigger bastards than they were and that those damn kids are growing up too fast and sooner or later fifteen will seems like old age and your twenties will be your midlife crisis. Brick takes us into a world that shows this to be true. The kids are the adults here and the real adults are few and far between. Why? It‘s not their world anymore.

Brick is a highly engaging film and forces you to study it. There is no deep analysis necessary for the plot, but the realm it exists in is worth that second look. You feel cooler after watching it, and want to do so again, thinking you might catch something new. All good crime literature is like that, as well as film, and this one is no different. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to some striking originality and see this film. Hell, buy it; anything to get more where this came from.
Film – 9.0

The specs on the DVD are slim at best. We are treated to feature commentary by writer/director Rian Johnson, actors Noah Segan (Dode, a low life) and Nora Zehetner (Laura), as well as the producer, production designer and costumer designer. There are also a few deleted scenes with introductions by Johnson, and casting tapes of Segan and Zehetner.

The sound is in 5.1 surround and does feature subtitles, but no other spoken languages save the King’s English.
The picture is in anamorphic widescreen with a 1.85:1 ratio.

If this film takes off, expect to one day see a special edition with a deeper look into this interesting world.
DVD – 7

George
This film is for rental and sale at Wild and Wooly Video and pick up some Hammet inspired films like Maltese Falcon or any of the Thin Man series (especially the original)

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