Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21505 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-09-18
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 105 minutes

Special Features
Audio commentary from director Rian Johnson

Deleted and extended scenes

UK exclusive interview with Rian Johnson

Nora Zehetner and Noah Segan auditions

Rian Johnson video diary (UK exclusive)

Junkyard Score: the making of the soundtrack (UK exclusive)

Costume design (UK exclusive)

Chickenscratch storyboards (UK exclusive)

The Pin's Den (music only) (UK exclusive)

Theatrical trailer

Synopsis
A detective story set around a California high school, BRICK dares to combine the teen and film noir genres. In mixing these two disparate worlds, Director Rian Johnson creates many comically jarring and ironic moments. When loner Brendan Frye (a barely recognizable Joseph Gordon-Levitt of THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN) gets a desperate-sounding call from his ex-love Emily (Emilie de Ravin), he feels compelled to help her, plunging himself into the seedy world of teenage crime that pulled her away from him in the first place. Throughout this journey, Brendan plays a hard-boiled type reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart's iconic Sam Spade character. Johnson's script invests heavily in the fiction of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, and is filled with other archetypical characters like the femme fatale (Nora Zehetner), the eccentric crime lord (a brilliant Lukas Haas), and the dame in distress. As teens trade in their cell phones for things as old-fashioned as pay phones and 1940s gangster vocabulary, occasional references to detention and first period provide a humorous contrast with the otherwise unbelievably complex, precocious, and largely parentless world that these teens inhabit. With its heavy reliance on references to old noir classics like THE MALTESE FALCON and THE BIG SLEEP, the film may risk alienating viewers not familiar with these older films. Seeing teenagers speaking in coded detective-movie-style lingo is entertaining, but mixed with the often overlapping, fast-paced but muttered dialogue, it also proves to be distracting at points. People eager to see a predictable teen drama may be confused by BRICK, as its goal is to turn the genre on its head, earning inevitable comparisons to films like 2001's surreal teen fantasy DONNIE DARKO. Because of the film's attention to detail and witty yet hard-to-follow dialogue, BRICK may be better appreciated on second viewing.

Customer Reviews

Outstanding, original take on film Noir!!!
This is a truly astounding film. It is Film Noir in the truest sense, whilst giving it a new twist by taking on the the original modern-day setting of an American high school. The cinematography, score, direction and acting throughout contribute to making this film a really captivating and enjoybale experience.

The film portrays teenage issues but originally within an adult framework and shot in a traditional noir style. The plot revolves around high school loner Brendan Frye (played by Joseph Gordon-levitt, better known as the young one in hit tv show 3rd Rock From the Sun), who tries to track down his missing ex-girlfriend. The trail leads him into the underworld of high school crime, a gripping mystery ensues leading him back deeper and deeper into the unwanted world of violence and betrayal he had tried to leave behind.

The style and pace of the film is reminiscent of classics such as; The Maltese Falcon and Chinatown, bringing the traditional detective story to modern day suburbia with teenage american politics as the context. The film takes you into the sometimes warped, but I feel accurately portrayed mind of the 21st century teenager in a way never attempted before and at the same time bringing noir back to the fore.

Also I must disagree with previous reviewers who complained about the films cinematography and dialogue. I would agree with the comments that the dialogue in particular is out of place, IF this was a shot in a more generally accepted style of film-making, but it's not, it's film noir and as such fits absolutely perfectly with the pace and plot of the movie.

So if you want to see an extremely original, gripping and thought provoking film then check it out, it may not suit everyone but it's definitley worth a look. Highly reccommended.

How about "This Years' Brick"?
OK, I'll nip it in the bud now - ignore all the pre-release talk of Brick being "This Years' Donnie Darko", as that'll just raise expectations in unfair directions, as you'd assume it'll be akin to the mind-bending masterpiece. If anything, trying to relate it to a film it bears no relation to is more than a little naive.

What we do have is a very smart neo-noir, set not in the mean streets, but a regular California High School. It bears all the hallmarks, from the fast-talking lead trying to unravel a mystery that gets deeper and more twisted the more he looks into it, femme fatales, heavies and underground dealings.

Of course, the film would fail if the performances weren't right, and that's where the film truly succeeds. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is fantastic as the lead, Brendan; searching for answers after his ex girlfriend (Emilie de Ravin) calls him one night, scared, and is soon found dead. To get to the truth, he must talk to all those in the know, who in this film are members of the high School cliques: the bohemian drama students, the jocks, the dealers, and utilising the knowledge of his nerd companion, The Brain. He even clashes with the Assistant Vice Principle just like classic noir gumshoes would with police chiefs.

Already, some might find it a tad pretentious or, worse yet, be thinking of Ten Things I Hate About You (also starring Levitt, ironically enough) or Cruel Intentions. Strange it wasn't compared to the latter, actually, but that's another thing.

But rather than look like one film transposed into a High School setting, it actually works with it's script being full of great lines and believable situations, some great characters (femme fatale Laura, head bohemian Kara, and top dealer The Pin for a start) and has some great noirish lighting and a matching soundtrack. Naturally, there's twists where there should be, although the final revelation is kept away from prying ears, leaving you to work it out - a neat trick, as it works.

With a plot full of people duping each other, the irony is people may have been duped into believing it would be another Donnie. Instead, what they got was a noir with a quirky sense of humour, some well-presented and well-rounded ideas that are pulled off without ever wandering into incredulous territory, and possibly the best noir since Chinatown. So, what will be next years' Brick?

Revitalising a seemingly obsolete genre. A push into New Wave Noir.
This film is one of the best films I have ever seen; and I've seen a lot of films. I was totally captivated by the script, old fashioned yet completely on the pulse. Moving away from the realism that has been dominating the modern market, brilliantly capturing the essence of old style noir, with the lyrical dialogue superbly written and acted, by a fantastic and suprising cast and fresh director. Whilst juxtaposed with the high school setting and contemporary filming. Baz luhrmann's Shakespeare, meets Scorsese's gansters, with the shocking brilliance of Larry Clarks' 'Kids.' (less explicit though) The high school drama takes on a new life and a new intensity, rather than patronising teenagers in the ilk of ott studio money makers like American Pie. This film captures the intensity of school. Whilst keeping a balanced audience, of both young and old. It reminds me of what I love about cinema, fantastic direction, beautfully haunting score, stunning cinematography and brilliant acting. Understated and superb! So, in summary I think it's crap... don't watch it.