Check This Out

Another ongoing feature, "Check This Out" will showcase films that you may have never heard of, or don't know much about, but I think you should see. Obviously not every film I recommend will please everyone. (I recall a disastrous incident last year when I told Heather I liked all the Best Picture nominees, and on that recommendation she and Zeb rented Babel and subsequently, he will never trust another suggestion I make. Ever Again! I should have clarified that while I thought it was a great film, it was not a film everyone (i.e. Zeb) would enjoy.) So I will bear in mind that some films I like, you will not, and I will make it a point to describe the genre and plot accurately so that you can more adequately decide whether it's a film you will like. That disclaimer aside, here's today's choice:

BRICK (2006)


Brick is the unlikely film noir set in high school. Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a jaded loner trying to unearth the whereabouts of ex-girlfriend Emily (Emilie de Ravin). When she turns up dead, Brendan is plunged into the shady underworld of her new crowd. There's Laura (Nora Zehetner), the popular queen bee and possible femme-fatale, Dode (Noah Segan), a druggie who had a thing for Emily and knows more than he's saying, and Tug (Noah Fleiss), the tough, silent thug with connections to the infamous Pin (Lukas Haas). Who can he trust? With the help of the Brain (Matt O'Leary), Brendan tries to gain access to the inner world of each of these characters in order to determine why Emily died and who killed her.

If you're saying to yourself, this doesn't sound like my high school experience, you'd be absolutely right. This story belongs in the 1940's with Humphrey Bogart as the lead, dirty cops, crooked deals and every frame cloaked in shadow. But this film isn't trying to be realistic; it's taken the bare bones of a film noir story and transplanted it into a modern day high school. It shouldn't work, but it does because the characters take it seriously, as if this world is reality. And once you accept this, the story begins to work on an unexpected and nuanced level. As Brendan delves further into this complex clique he discovers hidden connections, complicated motivations and the essential story forms a unique and fresh tale. It contains quirky details like a coded piece of paper, an unusually low ceiling in a wood-paneled office, a man with a cane and the sheer oddness of Brendan's favorite shoes. The dialogue is also inventive, mixing film noir slang with a new set of words and phrases that occasionally defy meaning. I suggest watching wordy scenes with the subtitles on, in order to fully grasp the rhythm and style of the characters' peculiar vocal form.

In a film full of odd and eccentric characters, Brendan is the anchor. You may remember Joseph Gordon-Levitt from his comedic turns on "3rd Rock From the Sun" and 10 Things I Hate About You. In Brick, he brings a here-to-fore unseen gravitas to his doggedly determined anti-hero. He rarely smiles, but attacks information with weary gusto and burrows within his thin jacket like it's a coat of armor. He is intelligent, has a good poker face, and, in rare physical encounters, is resourceful and tenacious. We want him to succeed in his quest.

This film impresses me more every time I see it. It has a moody, evocative score, a bold story and seems filmed endlessly in early dawn, blue-tinged light that substitutes for the noir shadows. It may not work for everyone, but the story intrigues me and the performances support its audacity. If only more films were this willing to take chances.