12th May 2010 - Brick

A little background on how I came across this gem of a film. It all started when I got my hands on 3rd rock from the sun. I watched it in order right the way through because when it was originally on BBC2 back in the 90s I was playing games like Worms, Interstate 76 and didn't really watch much TV. The only thing I ever remember about the show was the adverts to promote the show. Anyway i loved it and as with most TV shows and films I tend to pop on to IMDB.com and see what the actors are up to now.

Most of them don't really do much now hence the joke below, but I noticed Joseph Gordon-Levitt was steadily working on a few films, one called Mysterious Skin had very good reviews and won some awards. It is an amazing film in which Joseph Gordon-Levitt was the lead. I found his performance so good i had a look at what else he was a lead in and found Brick.

So on to the actual review you wanted to read. The film starts with Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) looking at the dead body of his ex-girlfriend, then the story moves back a few days which is really where the film starts. A few days before she dies Brenden gets a phone call from her saying that she needs help. His ex is played by Emilie "the one in Lost who was preggers" de Ravin, she does a very good job with her role and does a convincing (to me anyway) American accent. I imagine it would be very difficult considering she has a strong Australian accent.

You then follow Brendan around as he tries to find out where she is and what help she needs. The style in which this story unravels is very interesting and keeps you hooked, if you like film noire you will love this. It unfolds like a detective story but one that is so packed with clues and unfamiliar dialogue that you could easily watch it again in the future and forget most of it. It doesn't sound like a compliment but personally a good film is one you find hard to remember a good example is Memento, a film so fragmented and fast paced it is almost like watching it for the first time every time.

As you get into the film you may notice you don't understand what some words mean and thanks to Play.com i got the exclusive hand book which has a few of the words and their definitions eg. Copped means stole and Gat means Gun. This dialogue is delivered very well and totally believable. In the wrong actors hands it would make you feel like i did watching The Matrix Reloaded.

The story inevitably catches up to what you were shown at the start of the movie. It's almost like a trailer in itself as finding the body is only the begining for Brenden as he wants to find out who killed her. Brenden seems to have only one friend "The Brain" played by complete unknown to me Matt 'O Leary.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt does an amazing job playing a completely different character to the one in Mysterious Skin. I know that is what actors are supposed to do but if you get the chance watch both films. The deepness of his voice, his accent, the way he stands and moves its just all so different. The majority of famous actors like Tom Hanks for example are really good but for the most part look the same in all their films. Joseph Gordon-Levitt clearly puts a lot of thought into the characters he plays even subtle things like always keeping his hands in his coat pockets, his glasses case and having much longer hair really do make a difference.

I hope Joseph goes on to do more because if you have watched this Mysterious Skin and his smaller role in Havoc you will see he is a very versatile actor. Emilie de Ravin is good but because she is in Lost its a little too hard for me to forget that when I watch her performance, great as it is. I could say the same about Lukas Haas but for the most part I have only seen him every 8 or 9 years, Witness when he was about 7 then Mars Attacks when he was about 18 then this when he is about 27.

This is Rian Johnson's first film and it is classed as a low budget affair. It never shows and he proves that if you are a good enough writer and director you can make a great film without Hollywood's big sweaty money. I like the way he shows you the story its very much told from Brendan's Point of view and if you see it from anyone else's they are in the shadows or you are looking through their eyes. I found my mind trying to solve the puzzles rather than it all being spelled out.

The directing mixed with the amazing soundtrack really makes the film unique, the music is almost inside the film and doesn't feel separate, its not out of place or overbearing and if you watch the feature on the DVD about how it was made you will appreciate it even more. I am very tempted to buy the soundtrack if I can find it somewhere in the UK I will let you know. Although the film is set in a high school there are no Generic Amemican Bands playing in the background go buy American Pie: Band Camp if that's your thing.

One thing that is interesting, I may need to watch it again but I am sure that there is not a single swear word in this film. It just proves that it isn't essential to make a serious film with dark subjects work.

This is an amazing detective story which you can watch again and again as beneath the surface it isn't really about "who dunnit" but more about Brendan's life and how the events we see change his future.