Brick

Not bad, but not good either. Why? Because every scene, every shot, every line of dialogue is overdone by Art. It doesn't take long before you realize you're saying to yourself, well, look how the blood is artfully arranged...hey, one side is all wearing black, the other white...notice how all the actors are standing, carefully posed in the culvert...listen how cheerleaders are saying "push 'em back," only you can't see them and the hero is being chased around by a madman with a knife...etc. All the cleverness absolutely overwhelms the film. One other oddity I noticed: it's rated R, and yet I'm fairly sure I heard not a single obscenity, something that even some PG movies have. There was barely a hint of sex, and no exposed skin. As for violence, the hero gets punched a lot, and there's one--yes, arty--scene involving a gun. I guess that's what got it the R rating. Strange.

Great film - linear stories are the most visceral... you get to follow and find out as the protagonist does so you actually get to experience the emotions. Reminiscent of Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet, or Dream Story/Eyes Wide Shut (for kids!). Even the weirdest characters and situations feel disturbingly real. I think the music helps... creeps under your skin. Looks and sounds good - this guy knows where to put a camera (and how long to leave it sitting still) as well as when to add musical accompaniment and choosing the correct tune. Ironic that in the same scene when they preach an important lesson - to let someone you love go and not be bitter at the world and those around you/them - she is dishonest about not needing his help. One thing that bugged me at first was the tech-nerd who spews all this street knowledge... not sure if that would happen with a kid who relies on his mom's car and cell phone for transportation and communication - but is a quick way for Brendan to g... Read more

Brick is not an easy film to take. It's a picture where if you choose to place yourself within the realms of reality, your going to find yourself hopelessly lost within this film's framework. The film is a High School film but not in the conventional sense. It's not a period piece, but is in a contemporary setting. The characters and dialouge are not the way real High School kids may talk, but that's not the point of the world created. What this film is supposed to present is the world of classic Film Noir in a setting not very usual. If you can accept the fact of kids talking in 30s and 40s idiomatics than you'll be able to appreciate the picture. The plot is a familiar one to fans of this dark genre: a young man is searching for the murderer of his girlfriend and is caught in a world of betrayal, murder and madness. It's amazing how captivating the film is and it looks like it was fun to do, since the dialouge, which may be laborious for some, is justifiably cool and absolutely... Read more

funny, exciting, great