Overlooked Greatness: 'Brick' (2005)
Hits you hard and fast.
This just in (not really, but it makes it sound important): Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience has underperformed. Expected to make in the area of $30 million, the 3D picture that thought it could has come in at just under $13 million. Now, since it has been heralded as a "concert experience," I'm not sure if it really qualifies as a movie… but hearing about this sad, un-Miley-like box office implosion, I started wondering: What happened to movies with teen themes? Can't Hardly Wait… She's All That… Boys and Girls. The American Pie franchise has been relegated to DVD reprisal, and last I heard, 10 Things I Hate About You is now in development to become a TV series… which seems weird.
Well, here's what I think happened to movies primarily featuring teen storylines: they sucked. Oh, that might seem like a harsh conclusion — I watched and loved them all, I'll admit — but what I really mean is they cloned each other and subsequently became forgettable. That sucks. Road Trip is to Euro Trip what Hannah Montana is to The Brothers Jonas.
The teen films that stand the test of time, you'll note, are the unique originals — the trailblazers. By nature of the field, however, it's hard to get uber-original. How many ways can you show puberty reeling its slightly horny head before you're hip-deep in pie again? Filmmakers must decide to veer off the beaten (get it?) path or risk Death by Duplication. Luckily, Rian Johnson's wonderful little indie, Brick, has already beaten the seldom explored teen mystery genre — and challenged future noir mysteries in general. Brick, effectively, has blazed the trail, and left nothing but awed soot in its wake. Here's how:
1.) Noir Factor: Brick is black, black, black, and that is so, so good. With a heavy nod to Polanski's Chinatown, this film's aesthetic intensity captivates. If for some reason, your TV speakers break but the image is working fine, know this: you could still watch and enjoy Brick. Can't do that with Can't Hardly Wait. With a focus on detective novels like "The Maltese Falcon," first-time screenwriter Rian Johnson started his teen detective tale as a novella of sorts, where main character, Brendan, plays our Sam Spade. But in his evident devotion to the genre, Johnson ripped the American detective story in two, creating dual levels: the narrative level, where a "who dunnit?" is solved, and the thematic level, where we, the viewers, explore the effects of teen drug culture in American suburbia. The lens is his paintbrush, and the paint is dark, twisty and beautiful on the big screen canvas.
2.) JGL Factor. That would be Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Yeah, that kid from "Third Rock from the Sun." You know, I first saw JGL (who I also like to refer to as "Hotness Walking") in Holy Matrimony opposite Patricia Arquette when I was about 10 years old. I remember thinking to myself, "That kid will one day be Hotness Walking." He was talented then, as a Hutterite on the verge of arranged marriage, and he has only grown. JGL is a man who rarely disappoints. I will see anything he's in, because he chooses riveting work and plays his roles with mind-bending intensity. Yeah, even on "Third Rock from the Sun," and again in that teen number, 10 Things I Hate About the Fact that 10 Things I Hate About You Might Become a TV Show (we can discuss that later). His body of work has been described as "acclaimed and underseen," and you know what, Boston Herald, I agree with you. Because if Joseph Gordon-Levitt says he's an alien, I believe him. He says he's a nerd, I believe him. He says he's mentally challenged, a prostitute, physically disabled or — in this case — a teenage detective out to avenge his missing girlfriend; I believe him. His presence alone will draw you in.
3.) Addictively indie. Much like this year's Best Picture Oscar winner, Slumdog Millionaire (and many other movies, might I add) Brick tread a long path to the big screen. With Slumdog, Danny Boyle and his team achieved what others would never have attempted to try on $7 million. Originally penned in 1996, Brick took nearly ten years to hit the art house circuit, and that was after being whittled down to a $475,000 budget! They faked the special effects with a bit of creativity and edited the rest like mad. After all that, the writer still was able to work out a deal with Fox Searchlight, the distributor, and hence to this day, he offers his entire, annotated shooting script for anyone to read and download online. That's right: "Free on the internet." That is so indie, it's like listening to Radiohead and Fleet Foxes at the same time. You gotta respect a filmmaker who honors the unspoken artist's covenant: though shalt share thine art — at any cost.
4.) The name game. You know you're really floating in a pool of noir once you encounter a character that goes by something like "Acey," "Sonny" or by "The [Insert Noun]" in an already dark film. Well, Brick has "The Brain," JGL's partner in solving crime, and "The Pin," our post-teen, bad guy extraordinaire. Five minutes in, and you'll guess right away: Something's up, and it ain't what you thought. Though our lead is simply "Brendan," the softness of that name defines him entirely: he's in this for love, and love will put up a fight. Other character names do not disappoint, however. There's also Tug (bad guy) and Dode (bad guy) and a slew of knick-names for outliers, like "Dangle" and "Flatfoot." Between these names and the stylized, genre-loving dialogue, it's almost hard to keep up with the plot. But don't worry: this is a movie you'll want to see twice, so just pick it up on the next viewing. Or read the script for free on the internet!
5.) Score. That is to say, the music tracks. Pays to have a multi-platinum record producer in the family. Brick's writer, Rian, has that brother — his name is Aaron. But the music talent didn't stop there. Rian's cousin, Nathan, reined over this composition. Rumor (read: wikipedia) has it that Brick was scored mostly by way of iChat, i.e., Rian sent clips of his film-in-progress from Los Angeles to his cousin in New York, who scored on the go at the reduced, family rate. With further help from The Cinematic Underground, an indie (natch), alt-rock group, Brick's score came together. The music in this film is telling and adds to the surreal nature of the action. Again, if your TV choked for a couple hours and all that worked was the sound — put the DVD in anyway. You'll be alright.
Now some might say Brick is a little over the top in its noir-ittude. The lingo, the name game, the score, the Hotness Walking… these are all elements that collectively strike a pose as recognizable as Heidi Klum's on the catwalk. This film is making a statement. And it's going to hit you over the head with it a little bit. Repeat viewings, however, will reveal that the artistry supporting this statement is fairly intact. And because the man behind Brick also scribbled and directed the upcoming The Brothers Bloom (starring Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel Weisz), we can guess he's not a one-trick pony.
I have yet to see Brothers Bloom, but I'm excited to see the next step in Rian Johnson's repertoire. Bloom looks like a comedy, which already differentiates it from Brick. I suggest getting your hands on Brick before heading forward, get to know Rian a little. Embrace this journey, and you will feel artistically revitalized afterward, I can almost guarantee it. You also may never want to watch She's the Man again. It's an unfortunate side effect of enlightenment.
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