Indie Gems: Brick

For those who don't know, "Indie Gems" is a column where I review an independent film that you may or may not have seen, but definitely should. They are as always, out on DVD.



"Brick" was released in theaters in 2005 and came out on DVD in 2006. It stars the immensely talented Joseph Gordon-Levitt (did you see him on SNL last Sat?) Gordon-Levitt has been one of my favorite actors ever sense I saw him years ago in '10 Things I hate about You' he was the lovable geek, now the handsome leading man. He's what originally drew me to this film.

The plot follows Brendan (JGL) he receives a frantic phone call from his ex girlfriend Emily (Emilie De Raven) she's in trouble, but doesn't fully say why. She only says certain words that connect her to her problem. Brendan, ever the sleuth sets out to find out what is troubling her. The next day he finds her dead, in a tunnel under a bridge. Instead of going to the police Brenden is set on figuring this out for himself. He's not the only one that was in Emily's life. He enlists the help of a guy known as The Brain (Matt O'Leary) and crosses paths with the physical Tug (Noah Fliess) the mysterious Laura (Nora Zehetner) and the big time drug dealer known as The Pin. (Lukas Haas)

What makes 'Brick' stand out from other detective films is it's smart and rapid dialogue. The characters talk in a noir-sense, quick, sharp, and always interesting. Some people may have trouble following along, I've read numerous reviews where people said they had to use the sub-titles. The film is shot on a hand held camera and edited on a computer, but you can't tell. The way the film is shot is as interesting as the film itself. The characters all have a story, and the director (Rian Johnson) spends time on each one. You see bits and pieces of Brendan and Emily's broken relationship, and you fall into the plot as deep as Brendan does. The acting as always is top notch, and definitely a break out performance by Zehetner. You leave the film satisfied.

Recommended: Yes 5/5 stars, one of my favorite films.

Memorable Quote: " Ask any dope rat where their junk sprang and they'll say they scraped it from that, who scored it from this, who bought it off so, and after four or five connections the list always ends with The Pin. But I bet you, if you got every rat in town together and said "Show your hands" if any of them have actually seen The Pin, you'd get a crowd of full pockets." - The Brain (Matt O'Leary)

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