Brick

Too often, we watch the same movies over and over without realizing it.  Or maybe we realize it and are a little insulted.  In my Cowboys and Aliens review, I mentioned that the film was full of generic movie plot stunts that you have seen in films a hundred times before.  If you have watched one Transformers movie, you've seen them all.  To a degree, this is to be expected, as there are only so many stories to tell.  What sets them apart is how you tell them.  Brick uses modern day teens to tell a crime story with a film noir flair.  

In most instances, relocating any type of story to a high shool and featuring teens immediately drops the expectations for the finished product.  Dont get me wrong.  There are a great deal of films set in schools, starring teens that are successful.  Be honest though...when I said it was modern teens,  you got douche chills.  Hollywood seems to believe that teens will go see anything starring their so-called peers.  Lucky for us, that's not what Rian Johnson was concerned with when he penned and directed Brick.  

Brick is as gritty, violent, and dirty as the films it pays homage to.  From the color palette and temperature of the film to the score, there is no pandering to the audience.  Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a guy trying to help a girl, Brick leads us down a winding path of clues, crime, and shady characters.  The performances by the actors are superb.  Watching JGL spout off lines that sound lifted from the pulp magazines our parents or grandparents read is frankly amazing.  Rian Johnson has taken something so familiar and oft lampooned and made it something serious and wonderful.  The soundtrack further evokes the feel of classic noir films.  

Make time to check out Brick.  Be prepared to pay attention and to think.  The film does a good job of helping you understand what's going on, but it is a much more fulfilling experience if you engage your brain.  Don't try to do something else while you're watching Brick.  Sit down, grab a drink, and view this film.  Be prepared for a different type of dialogue, and be prepared to appreciate a film that hits all the right notes.

(Moved from FB - January 20, 2012)