Brick

Dir/Writer: Rian Johnson (Evil Demon Goofball from Hell!!!)
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lukas Haas, Nora Zehetner, Matt O’Leary, Noah Segan, Emilie de Ravin
USA, 2006

Seen: March 1, 2007 thanks to TMN

Reason to see: Curiousity, looked either smart or pretentious.

I was happily surprized after watching this film. The acting is excellent, the dialogue is fantastic and the plot is solid. I wouldn’t say it’s a scary movie per se but I would consider it a thriller, almost even film noir although it appears to be often classified as a drama. It feels like what Heathers was for previous generations, but omitting the Omigod! lines played in 100% straight faced with cryptically created dialogue. Brick is not an easy film to watch, there is a fair share of violence, disturbing ideas and high schooler’s doing things most people wouldn’t want to think they could do. When you add those things with the creative language I think it can be interpreted as pretentious, however I thought it worked perfectly as it never broke the world it created and each character rang true.

If you, like I, had moments of where do I know them from? The character Emily is Emilie de Ravin who played Tess in the TV Series “Roswell” and in lead character played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt was the sweet Cameron from 10 Things I Hate About You, and I would have to say that his stellar performance here really puts him on the chart of one to watch.

Warning: Violence

Shannon's Overall View:
I thought it was very good
I’d watch it again
I recommend it, but note the warning of violence

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© Shannon Ridler, 2007