01 Nov NOIRVEMBER: Brick

BRICK

dir. Rian Johnson, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Nora Zehetner, Lukas Haas, and Meagan Good

Brick, a neo-noir mystery that heralded the coming of writer/director Rian Johnson, takes place in an undisclosed California suburb. Centered on high schooler Brendan Frye, the hardboiled detective story opens with him discovering the dead body of Emily, his love, and doubles back on itself to reveal how the body came to be and Frye’s quest to find answers. As is tradition in the subgenre, Fry’s journey breaks open a larger story, uncovering an underground heroin trade, an oncoming war between supplier and muscle, and Emily’s place in it.

Brick, an homage to the detective novels written by its greatest author Dashiell Hammett (who wrote The Maltese Falcon), shows that Rian Johnson commanded an early mastering of the crime and whodunit stories which would eventually lead to his opus film Knives Out. The world of high school that Rian creates is rivaled only by the characters that he created to populate it with. Jocks, outsiders, theater kids, and the popular kids all mesh to create a class structure (referred to in the film as the ‘pie’) rife with backstabbing and lies. With so many comings and goings, secret meetings in libraries, phone booths, football fields, and behind buildings, it’s a wonder anyone actually went to class.

It’s undeniable that Brick is one of 2005’s most refreshing and inventive films. Johnson’s decision to tell a 1940s story in the mid 2000s without updating it in any way makes for an odd juxtaposition between the story and the writing. That’s ultimately the charm of the entire project; it feels like it shouldn’t quite work (and parts of it don’t), but enough of it does that all due respect has to be given to Johnson for pulling it off. While some aspects of the story require some handwaving (this is his high school, where is any parent at during all of this?!), the story is still strong enough to stand on its own. Not every character is brilliantly portrayed, but every actor brings an earnestness to their roles that shows just how fully committed they were to bringing Johnson’s tale to life. With a story that houses this many moving parts and characters with hidden motivations, there’s bound to be a few holes in the plot, but with a narrative so genuinely entertaining, it’s preferrable to just let the story take you for a ride.

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Brendan Frye, Brick showcases the actor’s ability to spit rapid-fire dialogue in a way so natural it almost seems as if it’s actually how he talks in real life. As the film’s lead and the audience’s point of view throughout the investigation, there’s rarely a frame that doesn’t feature him. JGL shoulders it well, varying between bitter, frustrated, worried, frantic, and a whole host of other emotions. The film works because Gordon-Levitt commits fully to the role, spouting out noirish parlances with the ease of a veteran. He plays well against every character he comes in contact with, which is to say everyone else in the movie. While some of the physical work doesn’t quite fully pan out, it’s his ability to deliver Johnson’s lines with conviction that make the film soar.

While every other actor floats in and out of the film, there’s one constant worth noting. Nora Zehetner as Laura Dannon manages to both subvert and embody the classic femme fatale trope in exceedingly clever ways. All of Laura’s lies and half-truths are delivered with the exact same measure, making it frustratingly difficult to suss out fact from fiction. Half friend, half foe, Zehetner straddles the line perfectly as the film’s greyest character and thankfully her performance makes that untrustworthiness possible.

Directed by Rian Johnson in his freshman outing, Brick puts on full display the filmmaker’s storytelling skills and ability to craft a compelling movie on a small budget. At 110 minutes, the film almost feels about 15 minutes too long, but Johnson’s ability to unveil a few late-stage surprises makes up for it. From a writing perspective, Johnson’s dialogue is razor sharp, parlaying the 1940s detective jargon and repurposing it to suit a contemporary audience. While all of the slang doesn’t fully work and can lead to some clunky dialogue, the point of the scene and the information being relayed is mostly clear. Directing wise, Johnson and cinematographer Steve Yedlin uses little flash or flare in their shot selections; this movie is substance over style.

Overall, Brick shines as one of the best neo-noir movies in recent history. Rian Johnson’s script, along with his clever direction, complete with a great performance from JGL, all combine to tell a compelling story with a number of clever twists and reveals. Bolstered by a sublime score that harkens back to the old days of film noir, Johnson manages to find a way to refurbish the old and update it in a modern setting. The film that helped kickstart one of the most inventive and clever filmmakers working today, Brick is a reminder that Rian Johnson has been making waves from the very beginning.

Review by Darryl Mansel