Of all the crime movies in all the world, Brick is a pretty unique oddity, because it adheres really well to the conventions of classic film noir, but it breaks every other convention. And as a film noir movie, it's quite intriguing and stylish.
In essence, this is the tale of The Maltese Falcon, only with high school kids instead of grown-ups. Sam Spade is replaced by a loner of sorts, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt exudes all the same sharp intuition, wit, and a certain sense of cool. The bad guys are comprised of a loose assembly of bullies, jocks, burnouts, and one older guy. With this set-up, the movie moves pretty swiftly through the mystery plot, full of intriguing encounters and revelations. It's a pretty weird world where teenagers inhabit the same dark and violent underworld that you see in other crime movies, and all the parents and teachers are purposefully distanced. Even when fists aren't flying, the film remains consistently interesting and well-paced.
As indicated, this film follows the same basic plot structure and character archetypes as The Maltese Falcon, and it goes on to prove that the classic detective story is something timeless and fundamental that can fit into any genre, era, or setting. In the high school setting, the story unfolds pretty interestingly, and the characters prove to be quite distinctive. In a way, I believe the characters in Brick bear a little more weight than the original cast of the Maltese Falcon; a lot of it is because the conflict is much less focused on the story's Macguffin (in this case, a "brick," rather than a bejeweled falcon) and more on the actual murder mystery behind it. In the original story, the initial murder was just a starting point; in this film, it's the key motivator behind all the characters and the plot, and it makes the story a little tighter and more relevant.
This film uses some very spartan-looking settings and techniques, but it does so with a very distinctive style. The camera work is very solid and focused, and the editing is used effectively. Most scenes are staged in interesting and profound ways. Even though most scenes are shot in daytime, this film uses a very drab and muted color scheme to maintain the proper film-noir mood. Acting and writing are what makes this film stand out though: the entire cast inhabit their archetypes very maturely, and the script is loaded with some very unique and inventive dialogue. It can be a challenge to fully understand the slang being used, which seems halfway made-up and halfway taken from older crime movies, but it sounds cool coming from these kids, and it creates the perfect effect for this film. Sets, props, and costumes are probably a bit cheap, but are used pretty well. Music features a lot of jazz, further enhancing the experience.
Brick is a one-of-a-kind thriller that plays out like a classic detective story, but with teenagers speaking really sharp and smooth. It might not work for all viewers, but I think it's a very interesting combination that's worth investigating.
4/5 (Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Good | Film: Very Good)
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