Brick.
Film Noir is a subgenre of the Crime plot. Other Crime subgenres include Murder Mystery, Caper, and Courtroom. The differences depend on the protagonist. (Detective, Master Criminal, and Lawyer, respectively.) Film Noir has the most complex main character. It is a story told from the “[point of view] of a protagonist who may be part criminal, part detective, part victim of a femme fatale.” (McKee 1997: 82)
My opinions have been divided about Film Noir movies. While I love their characteristically highly-stylised dialogue and cinematography, I usually find the plots difficult to follow and the gumshoe sporadically indiscernible with his street-wise fast-talk.
In this sense, Brick (2005) was all it set out to be: a modern Film Noir. I could write that there are twists on the convention, but really, there aren’t. The only difference is, I suppose, that instead of a professional private dick hunting for baddies, in Brick, it’s a high school student, Brendan. The “brass” is Vice Principal Trueman. Brendan is still pining for his ex-girlfriend, who got caught up with the bad element of their school and is found dead. He follows clues, pisses off some muscle, becomes embroiled in a drug war, and gets the bejesus beaten out of him more than once. Oh, he throws some good punches, too, but the other guys probably didn’t end up with blood pooling in their stomachs.
The Noir plot points are there, and so is the stylish photography. High-angle shots, disregard of the law of thirds, and lots and lots of backlighting (which I think is another nod to classic Film Noir shadows, but the modern product in this case is silhouette) are very striking in how simple it is for a director and a DOP to disorient their audience. The filmmakers also tamper with film speed/continuity to illustrate Brendan’s dis-ease, with great results.
Brendan is deftly played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, of TV’s 3rd Rock From the Sun “fame.” I remember being impressed by him when he was on that show. He played a grizzled space traveller trapped in a teenager’s body with surprising sensitivity. Now, all growned up, he cuts a fine figure, and is sometimes reminiscent of Heath Ledger. In Brick, he’s a wise-cracking, slouchy, broken-hearted dude. He makes us root for him to succeed, especially when we see him persevere when his face gets progressively more rearranged.
The femmes fatale are very good. There is one cool thespian queen who enslaves freshman, and another nymph with a 40s fashion sensibility. Both hold a certain allure for Brendan, but he doesn’t allow himself to get too close, because he doesn’t trust them.
Brick is, at times, hard to follow in plot and dialogue, which is consistent with my usual complaints about Films Noir, but this main character of Brendan was amazing. He’s cool, dignified, subtle, clever, and fallible. I find this especially charming when I see that the author’s only other credit is for a short called Evil Demon Golfball From Hell!!! (1996)
It’s available on August 8th on DVD. If you’re a Film Noir fan, do rent this one to see how it stacks up to the old classics.
My opinions have been divided about Film Noir movies. While I love their characteristically highly-stylised dialogue and cinematography, I usually find the plots difficult to follow and the gumshoe sporadically indiscernible with his street-wise fast-talk.
In this sense, Brick (2005) was all it set out to be: a modern Film Noir. I could write that there are twists on the convention, but really, there aren’t. The only difference is, I suppose, that instead of a professional private dick hunting for baddies, in Brick, it’s a high school student, Brendan. The “brass” is Vice Principal Trueman. Brendan is still pining for his ex-girlfriend, who got caught up with the bad element of their school and is found dead. He follows clues, pisses off some muscle, becomes embroiled in a drug war, and gets the bejesus beaten out of him more than once. Oh, he throws some good punches, too, but the other guys probably didn’t end up with blood pooling in their stomachs.
The Noir plot points are there, and so is the stylish photography. High-angle shots, disregard of the law of thirds, and lots and lots of backlighting (which I think is another nod to classic Film Noir shadows, but the modern product in this case is silhouette) are very striking in how simple it is for a director and a DOP to disorient their audience. The filmmakers also tamper with film speed/continuity to illustrate Brendan’s dis-ease, with great results.
Brendan is deftly played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, of TV’s 3rd Rock From the Sun “fame.” I remember being impressed by him when he was on that show. He played a grizzled space traveller trapped in a teenager’s body with surprising sensitivity. Now, all growned up, he cuts a fine figure, and is sometimes reminiscent of Heath Ledger. In Brick, he’s a wise-cracking, slouchy, broken-hearted dude. He makes us root for him to succeed, especially when we see him persevere when his face gets progressively more rearranged.
The femmes fatale are very good. There is one cool thespian queen who enslaves freshman, and another nymph with a 40s fashion sensibility. Both hold a certain allure for Brendan, but he doesn’t allow himself to get too close, because he doesn’t trust them.
Brick is, at times, hard to follow in plot and dialogue, which is consistent with my usual complaints about Films Noir, but this main character of Brendan was amazing. He’s cool, dignified, subtle, clever, and fallible. I find this especially charming when I see that the author’s only other credit is for a short called Evil Demon Golfball From Hell!!! (1996)
It’s available on August 8th on DVD. If you’re a Film Noir fan, do rent this one to see how it stacks up to the old classics.
posted by Catherine at 7:12 p.m.
9 Comments:
For more on noir, I recommend:
P. Cook. "Film Noir," _The Cinema Book_ (1985)
P. Schrader. "Notes on Film Noir," _Film Genre Reader_ (1972)
J. Place & L. Peterson. "Some Visual Motifs of Film Noir," _Film Comment_ 10.1 (1974)
J. Place. "Women in Film Noir," _Women in Film Noir_ (n.d.)
These pieces bring together not only the technique of film noir, but also the specific and fascinating social implications of the form. Film noir (and neo-noir) is certainly a group that improves on further study.
Are all noirs crime-oriented, though?
I often think of noir as not attached to a plot form, but as an artistic technique which often takes place in certain non-mainstream circles. Crime is not always the main motive of these stories, merely the picaresque world of crime is a part of the world in which noir films are set.
I think here of _Nightmare Alley_.
However, perhaps it has focused more on crime plots since the end of the real noir period, and neo-noir is, perhaps, now a crime subgenre...
Hmmmmmm... Maybe a new avenue of watching has been inspired? I thank you, (but) my teachers thank you (not), and my exam preparation thanks you (not).
Excellent discussion point, Holls: are all noirs crime stories? I'm afraid I don't generally know enough about the genre to properly weigh in. I think I can say that all the films noir I've seen have involved a crime or crime, but you're right: the stylish characteristics of a noir film can probably be successful in any plot. They're just so well-suited to street-wise gumshoes, foggy alleys and curvy dames.
Ha ha!
I am thinking that modern noirs, so-called neo-noirs, are primarily crime plots, because that is what sticks out best from the post-War noirs.
Like _Devil in a Blue Dress_, and excellent modern noir, or _LA Confidential_, a masterpiece.
Have you seen _Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid_? I laughed for years over that, but I haven't seen it in years... I am afraid to re-watch it, least I hate it in my crotchety old age.
And I refuse to believe that "reminiscent of Heath Ledger" is a compliment to anyone... aside from possibly Tom Hanks, who would actually profit from the comparison.
Ooh... you with your Tom Hanks digs. You know Tom Hanks loves you, Holly, why can't you love Tom Hanks?
No, I wouldn't say "reminiscent of Heath Ledger" is either a pro or a con, but simply is. One of the reviews of _Brick_ I read said that Joseph Gordon-Levitt "smoulders" in this role, which I initially thought was reckless use of a thesaurus, but it turned out to be accurate.
I have always had a strange relationship to the word "Smolders."
Oops! Hyper-corrective Canadian spelling!
Yes, but as it most often comes out of American typewriters, I think the Yank spelling is correct here.
And I have heard that being too anal can force you to collapse in on yourself. Careful; wouldn't want a black hole where Catherine used to be.
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