Thursday, January 18, 2007

Brick Movie Review





















Brick, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, puts a new spin on an old classic. The days of film noir as the fashionable genre of film making have long been over, but this movie revamps the genre and presents it as a multi-layered, fast-moving mystery behind a high school veneer. Stylized to perfection, we are taken quickly into the depths of a murder and left there without knowing exactly which way is up, only to find ourselves knowing far more than we thought. Joseph Gordon-Levitt turns in an amazing performance, as does the rest of the cast, showing us that he's far from his days on 3rd Rock. His character's firm, relentless disposition combined with the inherently harsh reality of the story and the stylized direction it takes make for one hell of a ride. The dialogue was straight out of the 40's, as was the well-timed deadpan humor, and while it may have bothered some, it drew me in further. I thought this movie was a tribute to the style of the film noir genre, and an entertaining flick in it's own right.

On the Reganometer, I give this movie a 9 out of 10 (back-to-back 9's!), and say you have to see it. Especially if you are a fan of the genre.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seen it, liked it too. You are seeing some good ones lately. Like your taste. Just saw "Notes On A Scandal" and loved it. Provocative subject matter -- amazing acting.

Recommend it.

D

Kevin said...

That's what sucks about Eugene though: no small movies ever get here. There's not enough theaters or just not enough movie-goers or something like that. I'll have to wait for video.

cody said...

great movie. film noir is still alive. see kiss kiss bang bang.

cody said...

go see pan's labryth. now.

Kevin said...

I own Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and I can't see Pan's Labyrinth because, like I said, Eugene doesn't get the art house movies. I want to, believe me. I watched a 4 minute clip about a month ago and ever since I've been waiting for it to get out here.

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