Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a couple of reviews that have come in for BRICK, the film noir set in high school drama with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lukas Haas. These were both in response to S. Hilton's review that went up today. These don't discount Hilton's review by any means, they just enjoyed the movie more than our first reviewer did... obviously liked it enough to write their differing opinions in to us. I hope it's as good as this below review makes it out to be. Comparing it to BLOOD SIMPLE is some big words, but exciting ones. Read on!
I’m a long time reader of the site, but until now I’ve never had a reason to write in. I just read the Sundance review of BRICK posted earlier today, and it really frustrated me. Not because it savaged the movie (it didn’t), but because it largely dismissed it. And this is a film that should not be dismissed.
I had the pleasure of seeing BRICK a few weeks back at a pre-Sundance screening, and I can say, with all sincerity, that it’s one of the most haunting, beautiful and wonderfully strange films I’ve seen in a very long time. Not a day since has gone by that I haven’t thought about the film, its many amazing performances (most notably that by Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and especially its hypnotic tone. The director really pulled off a delicate balance of heavy drama and weird film noir fun. I mean, how often do you see a film — at Sundance, no less — that actually gets MORE engaging and MORE exciting and MORE enjoyable the longer it goes on.
This is not merely a film noir set in a suburban high school, no more than Mulholland Drive was merely a murder-mystery set in Hollywood, no more than the Big Lebowski was merely a detective story set in the Valley. These are all films set, ultimately, in their filmmakers’ heads, and BRICK is as stylized as the best of them. In more ways than one, it brought BLOOD SIMPLE to mind. There are moments in this film that are easily, EASILY, as beautiful as that movie’s shot of sunlight streaking through bullet holes.
But visual style aside, this film just grabs you with its dialogue. I’m sure in days to come much will be said about how it features the rhythm and language of classic film noir. This is true, but it’s not a gimmick. There’s nothing artificial about it. It’s used honestly, it’s used wisely, and it’s used well. One of the smartest decisions the director makes is making sure his cast speaks this tricky language simply and straightforwardly, without irony. So they may be present day teens, but after a half hour of sinking into their world, they might as well have stepped right out of MILLER’S CROSSING. And, besides, the dialogue is just that good. Years from now, cyborg-hipsters will be peppering their conversations with it. “Coffee and pie, oh my?” Mark my words.
In the end, I’m not worried about this, or any, review having any real effect on the film’s success. BRICK will always be happily thought of as the film that launched several brilliant film careers, and will likely inspire countless more.
Wow, so I think he liked it. Now for a shorter, but no less enthusiastic look!
I too have seen BRICK, and I have to disagree with the negative aspects of S. Hilton’s review. I think the direction is masterful, and was very surprised to hear that this is Mr. Johnson’s first film. There was a maturity and restraint to this picture that is seldom seen in independent film. I also loved the idea of a film noir set in a high school, and was glad that Joseph Gordon-Levitt made the role his own, rather than falling back on a Bogart impression (which is what I expected to see when I first heard the idea).
But I do agree with Hilton that I look forward to seeing the unique movies Johnson will direct for the rest of his career. This guy seems like someone to watch.
Best,
Lee Farber
