IT CAME FROM THE BOTTOM SHELF!

2019 was an above-average year for the movies, but of all the films that I attended theatrically, I found Rian Johnson’s Knives Out to be far and away the most entertaining.  While the film made the Agatha Christie-esque manor house mystery feel amazingly fresh (and funny), it was hardly surprising; because writer-director Rian Johnson has been a master of finding a new spin on an old genre from his very first film.

If Rian Johnson wasn’t a filmmaker that was on your radar prior to Knives Out, now is a perfect time to explore his filmography; because Kino Lorber Studio Classics has just released Johnson’s first film, Brick (2005), on Blu-ray.  Brick makes an interesting bookend with Knives Out in that it’s also a mystery.  However, rather than mining the cozy whodunnits of Agatha Christie, Brick is a Neo-Noir that draws its inspiration primarily from the pulp stories of Dashiell Hammett (The Maltese Falcon, Red Harvest, The Glass Key, etc.).  Johnson’s unique twist on the material is to set characters that speak like 1930s Noir protagonists in a modern-day high school.

When high school loner, Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), receives a frantic phone call from his ex-girlfriend, Emily (Emilie De Ravin), he drops everything to make sure she’s okay.  A few days later, he finds her dead.  Determined to make the guilty party pay, Brendan ruffles some feathers in the local drug trade in order to work his way in amongst the people that did his girl wrong.  Along the way, he encounters all the tropes one would expect from a classic film noir — crime bosses and thugs, junkies, flunkies, femme fatales, booze, and a MacGuffin or two.

Even experienced directors can struggle to pull off a high concept picture, but first-timer Rian Johnson succeeds tremendously.  While the noir-slang dialogue is incongruous with a 21st Century high school, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (fresh from his TV sitcom days) and the supporting members of the cast commit to the concept so fully that the audience can easily adjust to the “other dimensional” world of the film.  However, I would suggest turning on the “closed captions” during your first viewing, as it might take a few minutes to become accustomed to the slang and rhythms of the dialogue.

The script is fantastic, but the less you know going in, the more you’ll enjoy the mystery.  Consequently, that’s the last I’ll say about that.  However, I will point out that the cinematography is quite beautiful.  The blue palette of Steve Yedlin’s photography gives the film a classic feel, reminiscent of the look of the French noirs of Jean-Pierre Melville.  The score, by the director’s brother, Nathan Johnson, also perfectly supports the action.

Rian Johnson’s directorial career began with a bang.  Brick is not only a good “first film.”  It’s a good film, period.  Film noir fanatics and mystery lovers should consider it essential viewing.

US/C-110m./Dir: Rian Johnson/Wr: Rian Johnson/Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Nora Zehetner, Lukas Haas, Noah Fleiss, Matt O’Leary, Emilie De Ravin, Noah Segan, Richard Roundtree, Meagan Good, Brian White

For Fans of: If you’ve enjoyed other films adapted from or inspired by the works of Dashiell Hammett, such as The Maltese Falcon, The Glass Key, Chinatown, and Miller’s Crossing, you are very likely to enjoy this high school-based Neo-Noir. 

Video: Brick has been released on home video a few times, but the edition to own is the new Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.  The video presentation on previous releases was sub-par, but Kino’s release is a new 4K restoration supervised by director Rian Johnson.  The difference is obvious.  The image is sharp with darker and richer colors, and there are no scratches, speckles, or debris to be seen.  In short, Brick finally receives a home video release that is accurate to the look of the original theatrical release.  (Just FYI, this film is intentionally bathed in blue tones.  While some Blu-rays of French crime films occasionally appear more teal than the original release, Brick is a movie that uses a cool palette on purpose.)

I also have no complaints regarding the 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Lossless Audio.

Kino Lorber went all out with Brick.  The Blu-ray contains a larger extras package than is normally found on their releases, including:

• An entertaining and informative audio commentary by writer/director Rian Johnson, actors Nora Zehetner and Noah Segan, producer Ram Bergman, production designer Jodie Tillen, and costume designer Michele Posch
• 8 Deleted and Extended Scenes — These are proceeded by audio introductions by Rian Johnson, which explain the reasons why the scenes were trimmed or re-shot.  It is a nice look into the post-production work that went into the film.
• The Inside Track: Casting The Roles of Laura and Dode — Original screen tests of the actors
• 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Lossless Audio
• Optional English Subtitles
• The theatrical trailer for Brick, as well as bonus trailers for The Ice Harvest, The Interpreter, Broken Flowers, and Thirst.

Streaming: At the time this review was written, Brick was not available through any of the streaming subscription services.  However, it can be rented or purchased digitally through Amazon, iTunes, and other sites.

More to Explore: Rian Johnson followed Brick with The Brothers Bloom (2008), Looper (2012), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), and Knives Out (2019).  He’s yet to make a film that I haven’t liked, but I think that Knives Out is the best yet.

Trivia: Rian Johnson borrowed the line, “Now you are dangerous,” and the car horn signal of “Long-short, Long-short” from The Maltese Falcon as a nod to the primary influence of Dashiell Hammett.

For More Info: Inspired by Dashiell Hammett, Rian Johnson originally wrote Brick as a novella.  The novella and the screenplay derived from it can be read on Rian Johnson’s website https://www.rian-johnson.com.