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So as you know, I stopped writing lengthy reviews on this site this year, keeping the blog as more of a film diary of sorts.  Lo and behold,...

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Movie Review - Brick (2005)

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emilie de Ravin, and Lukas Haas
Directed by Rian Johnson

I love a good film noir (see Double Indemnity). I'm also a big fan of screenwriter-director Rian Johnson's latest endeavor The Brothers Bloom. Mixing those two up -- film noir and Rian Johnson -- just didn't work for me in the slightest. This flick which transplants the film noir (complete with the corny dialogue and femme fatales) into a modern-day high school setting just feels utterly pretentious and laughable.Link
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Brendan, a young guy whose ex-girlfriend turns up dead. He attempts to find her killer, but, if I'm being completely honest, I really didn't give a damn.

Gordon-Levitt is the only one here who comes out looking alright. If it weren't for him, I would've stopped this flick about 20 minutes in. Everything about this movie -- the direction, the writing, the acting -- felt heavy-handed and exaggerated.

Not a fan of this one, for sure.

The RyMickey Rating: D-

11 comments:

  1. I actually enjoyed this one!

    Although, now that I really think about it, maybe it was just because I was absolutely fascinated by how the adorable little boy from "Witness" had grown up and was playing a creepy drug dealer.

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  2. Cassie!

    I must say that I didn't mind Lukas Haas in this...And I really like "Witness."

    Hope school's going well for you!

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  3. I agree with the pretentious, not the laughable. I can't really argue as I haven't had the movie in my possession for 4 months.

    When I get it back I'll watch it again and argue about it. Especially since I don't have my next 3 movies coming til tuesday night.

    I do remember actually liking the bleakness of the cinematography, especially the football field at the end.

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  4. Justin -

    I just didn't get it. I love noirs, but it just didn't work in this setting for me. On one hand, I appreciate the oddness of it, but on the other hand, it just wasn't a good movie to me.

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  5. Yes, I definitely must agree with Justin about the cinematography. I haven't seen it in ages (and due to Liberty University's code of conduct, I won't be able to watch it anytime soon) but I do remember the color scheme was pretty interesting and gave it a pretty neat/depressing feeling.

    I've only been following your blog for what, two or three months? About time I say something.

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  6. I guess I'll have to curb my foul language in order for you to keep reading... ;-)

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  7. I find it amusing that Liberty University has a strict code of conduct.

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  8. Yes Jeff, because you have such a foul mouth. xD

    The Liberty code of conduct really isn't too extreme. I mean, girls can interact with boys and wear pants, so it isn't as awful as some places. It's just the no R rated movies thing that is kinda annoying.

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  9. Jeff, I'm wondering how much worse a film has to be to earn a -0- for you. :-0

    I'll have to review all your scores to see if there is such a score, or does sympathy and decent character [you, not in the film] allow you to grant a 0.5 for effort at the least. LOL!!!

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  10. Sherri, there's 11 or 12 zeros at this point -- movies that I would never want to see again if my life depended on it.

    This one had a decent actor in it...and although I hated the dialogue, I can appreciate what they were going for.

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  11. Yes, I saw your complete list - including all -0-'s - after my comment. So there is a rock bottom to your well of film appreciation. :-)

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