Brick Review

I've always been a massive fan of noir stories. The concept that all characters are merely stylised methods of driving home a completely ambiguous message makes me feel comfortable. As does the clichéd dialogue, the overly expository narration and the moody setting. In short: noir is the ultimate indulgence to me.

Second only to por... nothing.

So, enter Brick: an indie noir murder mystery film set within a school. The concept sounds a tiny bit bizarre but when you really think about it, everything fits. The detective is the school snitch and everything winds into place for a fun little comedy.

Only Brick isn't a comedy. It takes the basis formed in my above paragraph and makes it serious. The school snitch, Branden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt of Third rock from the Sun fame), finds his ex-girlfriend, Emily (Emilie de Ravin) dead. From there he sets out of a traditional tale of betrayal, lust and revenge.

The script, whilst lacking narration, is an expertly woven and unashamedly noir affair. It takes a while to learn to keep up with what the characters are actually saying, however, once this falls into place it's hard to see a flaw. Each character is as intricately woven as can be expected in this genre, each plot device feels natural and as the plot progressed I was completely engrossed.

As much as the film's success is due to writing, more is due to acting. In particular Joseph Gordon-Levitt delivers the most outstanding portrayal of a noir detective that I have ever seen. He even manages to pull of the stereotypical “hands in pockets” walk without making it seem stupid. The supporting cast are all outstanding. Each manages to nail the stereotype handed to them by the script whilst bring a level of credibility to the role.

The use of sound within the film is chilling. The music used to compliment dramatic moments is outstanding and the film's use of environmental sound is something almost unprecedented in the genre. Brick even manages to prove that not all noir has to be shot at night, in the rain.

So, overall Brick is the most expertly written, directed and acted noir film I have ever seen. Not only does it manage to incorporate almost all of the noir clichés expected in the genre, it also succeeds in elevating it past the stupidity expected. What lies as a result is a film which both conforms to and destroys expectations.

10/10