Since he landed on my radar with the thrilling and intelligent sci-fi thriller Looper, Rian Johnson has remained one of my favorite filmmakers as he’s ventured through everything from a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: The Last Jedi to hitting the road in Columbo-like fashion with Poker Face. However, his work in the whodunnit and noir genres has always been some of the most compelling in his filmography. Going back to his directorial debut in Brick, which, even after 20 years, remains one of the most fascinating debuts for any filmmaker.
Led by Joseph Gordon-Levitt shortly after his return to acting, Brick centers on Brennan Frye, a Southern Californian high schooler who deftly walks apart from the various cliques and administration. However, Brennan’s isolation suddenly becomes disrupted when his ex-girlfriend, Emily, leaves a note in his locker asking to have a covert conversation with him, in which he discovers she’s fallen in with a group of local criminals, headed by The Pin. When Emily goes missing shortly thereafter, Brennan takes to investigating the dark corners of his town, which prove far more dangerous than they initially appear.
Brick Is A Thrilling Take On The Classic Noir Genre
A Sharp Script Mostly Overcomes Some Of Its Density
Inspired by many of Dashiell Hammett’s classic detective novels, like The Maltese Falcon and The Glᴀss Key, Johnson’s efforts to translate the detective noir formula into a high school setting is surprisingly effective. The majority of Brick‘s characters feel just as authentic to the teenage world as they would in a more mature setting, though there are certainly a few that feel out of place, particularly Meagan Good’s stage actor character Kara. She’s certainly an intriguing figure to watch, but some of her actions and dialogue don’t quite mesh with its setting.
However, one of the biggest elements of Brick that remains a real fascination for me is Johnson’s crackling script that almost feels as though it was pulled directly from the hardboiled detective novels of the ’30s and ’40s.
The driving heart of the plot of a missing person and a tainted drug stash similarly finds itself just on the verge of believability. There’s no denying that high schoolers find ways to get their hands on substances, be it on campus or off, and while it’s humorous the way Johnson established Lukas Haas’ kingpin as being a live-at-home adult, it does create some questions as to the actual logistics behind his criminal lifestyle.
However, one of the biggest elements of Brick that remains a real fascination for me is Johnson’s crackling script. It almost feels as though it was pulled directly from the hard-boiled detective novels of the ’30s and ’40s. There are times when the dialogue can feel a bit dense and tough to connect with, but in a way, that’s not only a welcome tribute to said genre, but is also an invitation to revisit the film multiple times in an effort to properly interpret what’s being said and how the plot plays out.
Rian Johnson’s Direction Is Impressively Stylish For A Debut
The Filmmaker Makes Incredible Use Of His Minimal Locations & Shoestring Budget
As with many iconic filmmakers, Johnson started from humble beginnings with Brick, having ᴀssembled a budget just shy of half a million dollars with the help of his family and a few others, and filming entirely in his hometown of San Clemente. What’s more impressive is that this actually proved a benefit. Johnson had an intimate knowledge of the area to not only choose several great locations for the film, but do so in a way that makes the movie often feel bigger than its budget implies.
Whether it’s high-speed driving scenes in which characters are nearly run over or dream sequences using DIY methods to craft some of its more ambitious visuals, Johnson and cinematographer Steve Yedlin pull off some incredible sequences throughout the film. Some of the more memorable scenes remain the chase scene between Brendan and the thug attempting to kill him, which has an effective balance of long sH๏τs and quick cuts to keep tension high, as well as the increasingly tense conversations held in The Pin’s basement.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt Is Still One Of The Best Neo-Noir Detective Actors Ever
Nora Zehetner Is Also So Fascinating As The Movie’s Femme Fatale
As with any detective story, having a captivating lead embodying the protagonist is key to its success, and not only did Johnson craft a well-realized character in the form of Brendan, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt brings him to life with aplomb. When one thinks of the film noir and neo-noir genres, it’s easy to immediately be drawn to the likes of Jack Nicholson in Chinatown and Harrison Ford in Blade Runner, yet it’s Gordon-Levitt’s turn as Brendan that often comes to mind. The Emmy winner truly did a magnificent job of mixing the ᴀssured, cold exterior of classic noir detectives with the vulnerability of a high schooler.
While the rest of the cast is also just as effective, particularly Noah Fleiss as the H๏τheaded-yet-sensitive Tug and Johnson mainstay Noah Segan as wild card burnout Dode, the other major standout in Brick‘s roster is Nora Zehetner as the femme fatale Laura. I certainly wasn’t always falling for the false front she was putting up to Brendan, and yet, nearly every time she was onscreen, Zehetner did a wonderful job of presenting multiple layers to her character that, when combined with Johnson’s stylish direction, made her nonetheless fascinating to follow.
