Brick
Rent & Buy
A teenage loner pushes his way into the underworld of a high school crime ring to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.
What critics thought
Rian Johnson's noir-transplanted-to-high-school debut earned genuine admiration for its audacity and craft, but divided critics on whether the hard-boiled period slang was an immersive stylistic commitment or a distancing affectation that kept audiences from ever caring about the characters. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance was generally singled out as a compelling anchor, even by those who felt the film around him kept everyone at arm's length.
“The story is never clear while it unfolds, but it provides a rich source of dialogue, behavior and incidents.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“A spoof would have been easy. Instead, Johnson plunges off the deep end, risking ridicule by shaping this spellbinder with grit and gravitas.”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“the film's ham-handed reliance on period argot not only wears thin; it keeps the characters, such as they are, at a chilly distance.”
Stephen Holden·The New York Times
Genres
Drama, Mystery, Crime
Cast & Crew
Rian JohnsonDirector
Joseph Gordon-LevittBrendan Frye
Nora ZehetnerLaura Dannon
Matt O'LearyThe Brain
Noah FleissTugger
Lukas HaasThe Pin
Meagan GoodKara
Emilie de RavinEmily Kostich
Noah SeganDode
Brian J. WhiteBrad Bramish
Richard RoundtreeAssistant V.P. Trueman
Reedy GibbsPin's Mom
Nathan JohnsonComposer
Steve YedlinCinematographyBrick
A teenage loner pushes his way into the underworld of a high school crime ring to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.
What critics thought
Rian Johnson's noir-transplanted-to-high-school debut earned genuine admiration for its audacity and craft, but divided critics on whether the hard-boiled period slang was an immersive stylistic commitment or a distancing affectation that kept audiences from ever caring about the characters. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance was generally singled out as a compelling anchor, even by those who felt the film around him kept everyone at arm's length.
“The story is never clear while it unfolds, but it provides a rich source of dialogue, behavior and incidents.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“A spoof would have been easy. Instead, Johnson plunges off the deep end, risking ridicule by shaping this spellbinder with grit and gravitas.”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“the film's ham-handed reliance on period argot not only wears thin; it keeps the characters, such as they are, at a chilly distance.”
Stephen Holden·The New York Times
Genres
Drama, Mystery, Crime
Cast & Crew
Rian JohnsonDirectorJoseph Gordon-LevittBrendan FryeNora ZehetnerLaura DannonMatt O'LearyThe BrainNoah FleissTuggerLukas HaasThe PinMeagan GoodKaraEmilie de RavinEmily KostichNoah SeganDodeBrian J. WhiteBrad BramishRichard RoundtreeAssistant V.P. TruemanReedy GibbsPin's MomNathan JohnsonComposerSteve YedlinCinematographyRent & Buy