Brick – Review

Brick is a contemporary take on classic 40’s / 50s hard-boiled detective thrillers, in a more modern 2000s high school setting. Loner Brendan (Gordon-Levitt) gets entwined in a tale of sex, drugs and murder, while attempting to figure out who did what, and to whom.

The sharp and purposeful dialogue combines the flow and meter of the aforementioned classic noirs of the past with a timeless and modernized dialect, which gives the whole experience a unique flavor. The words and slang flow fast, keeping the exposition interesting and memorable.

The script is smart, and the talented cast find a healthy medium of both homage to the past and current wit. The plot is complicated in realistic ways, and evolves in a natural path, unfolding the core mystery at the center. Character motivations ring true, and nothing is straight forward.

While it was surely a low budget affair, this “detective” mystery is fully worth one’s time. The high school setting mixed with its unique dialect may not work for all viewers, but keeping an open mind is all the viewer should need to enjoy this dark and mysterious thriller. There is a lot to take away from its ending, and a repeated viewing is usually rewarding.