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Drugs, Coercion, and Drama: A Stylistic Backdrop for High School Life

Stephen Holden of the New York Times argues that Brick (Rian Johnson, 2005), a neo-noir set in modern-day California with a high school cast, is a failure in terms of reproducing the classical style of noir and its characters: "Brick is even less dramatically convincing than Bugsy Malone, where 13-year old Jodie Foster vamps it up like Rita Hayworth in Gilda" (par. 5). True, a teenage Jodie Foster's emulating a character like Gilda—who is one of the most alluring femme fatales in the history of noir—doesn't succeed. But to claim that Brick is not "dramatically convincing" is inaccurate, as I will discuss below. Holden is also not a fan of the high school cast which evidently "underachieve[s]" and "merely go[es] through the motions" (par. 6). While I understand the critic's objections to the film (e.g., emulating classical noir characters with high school kids, tongue-in-cheek interactions, odd setting for a hard-boiled story), I would argue that Brick is actually a refreshing take on film noir because of the interesting styles and effects used as a result of the $475,000 budget. The characters also never waver in their serious approach to acting, even when the film begs for amusing interaction.

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Effects

With the modest production budget available to Johnson, he had to find crafty

ways to add special effects to engage the audience. The transitions and cuts of

the film are particularly creative.

(Opening Sequence Blurred)

(Opening Sequence Clear)

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Focus Features, producer/distributor for art house films, has the same opening sequence in every one of their films. The letters start out blurred and focus in to clear letters with the “o” staying blurry. Johnson uses this technique in the opening sequence when the audience first sees Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Johnson is simultaneously providing intrigue and tribute to Focus Features for distributing his film. Like the camera angles used in classical noir, Johnson uses unflattering close up shots throughout the film.

(Brendan’s Face Blurry)

(Brendan’s Face Clear)

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Transitions and Cuts

A black garbage bag is used frequently throughout the film to portray corruption and death. Emily’s body is wrapped in it throughout most of the film and the brick of heroin is also wrapped in a black garbage bag. The garbage bag is used in a clever transition while Brendan is dreaming. The lighting and tone of the scene is dreary, stylistically resembling the dark tones of classical noir.

(Dream Sequence Where the Garbage Bag Comes out of the Tunnel and Engulfs the Screen)

(Garbage Bag Being Pulled over Brendan Before he wakes up)

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The scene starts by Emily and the garbage bag coming out of the tunnel towards the camera, with the impression that the garbage bag is flowing by itself. As soon as the bag engulfs the camera, Johnson cuts to a sleeping Brendan who wakes up just as the garbage bag is pulled away from over him. Johnson achieved this sequence by filming in reverse. The bag was already draped over the camera with Emily already outside of the tunnel. As soon as the camera rolled, she started walking backwards with someone inside the tunnel pulling the garbage bag.

Gun Shot Cut

As a post modern neo-noir, Brick has the ability to exhibit on screen violence. Violence is not a shocker to today’s movie viewing audience as it was in the days of classical Hollywood noir. This scene is interesting because the effects and cuts used are impressive. Tug (Noah Fleiss) shoots Dode (Noah Segan) while Brendan and The Pin (Lukas Haas) stand by.

(Tug about to Shoot Dode)

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(180° of the Previous Shot Just after the gunshot)

(Smoke billowing out of Dode’s head)

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The first shot is interesting because Brendan is completely hidden behind The Pin. The shot also only lasts for a fraction of a second, whiting out and flipping 180° straight to Tug pulling the trigger. The special effects of the blood spattering behind Dode with his head still smoking from the gunshot is realistic and impressive. This scene could rival a big budget film in terms of shooting a tense violent scene with style.

Ode to Classical Noir

Brick is filled with familiar scenes that took place frequently in classic noir films. These scenes taking place with high school students are amusing in nature, but the characters never act as if they are being playful. The dialogue is quick witted and the acting is serious, just like the way they did it in noir’s heyday. The fusion of styles and ages make Brick an exciting postmodern neo-noir to view.

(Brendan Speaking with Vice Principal Trueman [Richard Roundtree])

This scene resembles the rogue cop/private eye quarreling with the police captain in films such as Kiss Me Deadly. The banter between the two in the scene is humorous, but they never break from their serious tone. Brendan says, “I’m not your inside line and I’m not your boy! You know what I’m in if the wrong yokes saw me pull in here? No more of these informal chats, if you got a discipline issue with me, write me up or suspend me!” He quiets down and finishes his line with, “I’ll see you at the parent conference.”

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Cute Waitress Serving Drinks

This scene resembles men of classical noir smoking and drinking liquor at an establishment while conducting business. The difference is that in this scene in Brick, the mother of the The Pin is serving them apple juice at her house.

(The Pin’s Mom receiving a kiss after she’s Poured Apple Juice for Brendan)

Conversing with the Antagonist

This scene can be compared with many classical noirs in which dialogue and business take place inside a car. In the post modern noir, Devil in a Blue Dress, Easy (Denzel Washington) accepts a ride from Terell (Maury Chaykin) who is a pedophile trying to become mayor. In the Scene in Brick, Brendan gets picked up in an old Van. There is just one row of seating in the back where The Pin is sitting with Brendan having to stand awkwardly. There is also a lamp in between them to make the scene even more comical.

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(The Pin Lounging in the back like he is in a Limo)

(Brendan standing Awkwardly Inside the Van)

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Sexy Banter

Classical noir is filled with sexy underlying dialogue like the first interaction between Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) and Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) in Double Indemnity. In the scene below Brendan speaks to Kara (Meagan Good) about their past together which brings up some entertaining dialogue. Kara asks, “Come see the show?” while a younger male student is giving her oral pleasure. He pops up for a second to see who she is talking to. She tells him to stay and he drops his head below the screen. Brendan asks, “Still picking your teeth with freshman?” Kara responds, “You were a freshman once.” Brendan asks, “You and M(Emily) tight for a bit, who’s she eating with now?” Kara asks slyly, “Eating with?” Brendan with a puzzled look says, “Eating with… Lunch, what are you?...” He stands up to leave after understanding what Kara was implying. Kara says, “You’re a cutie” before Brendan walks away.

(Kara Looking at Brendan)

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Classical noir had great characters and distinctive storylines that have been emulated and parodied throughout the history of film. Brick is an ode to noirs of the classical past. Taking famous character types and a storyline similar to The Maltese Falcon, Brick places its own distinctive twist to the postmodern neo-noir. With a modest budget, the onus was to deliver a well acted story to overshadow any production limitations. The classical period of noir from 1941-1958 will always be a defining period of cinema to be looked upon for inspiration.

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Sources

"Brick." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. "Double Indemnity." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. "Devil in a Blue Dress." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. "The Maltese Falcon." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. "Kiss Me Deadly." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. Holden, Stephen. "Movies." Brick. N.p., 15 Mar. 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. Brick. Rian Johnson. Focus Features, 2005. Film.