Film Review: Brick (2006) A

Date Viewed: 11/05/06
Venue: DVD

What would you get if you paired old-school film noir plot and dialog with a modern day high school? Well, you’d get Brick, one of the best films of 2006. Writer/director Rian Johnson does a masterful job capturing the style and very essence of film noir all the while placing us in the middle of a high school murder mystery.

We follow Brendan, a sharp hard-nosed loner, as he investigates the death of his ex-girlfriend. His search carries him through the underbelly of high school cliques, and the deeper he digs in this twisting narrative. the more trouble he finds himself in.

Brick is not for the easily distracted filled with smart, swift dialog straight out of classic detective flicks (Brendan is quite literally playing detective here), Brick moves along at a brisk pace, never once stopping to over-explain things.

As a cinephile, it’s such a joy seeing our hard-boiled teenager grind out protection deals with the local authorities (the vice principal), shake out local informants (the Jay and Silent Bob types at the 7-11), encounter femme fatales at a fashionable soiree (a parents-out-of-town party at a rich kid’s house), and form alliances with the local crime boss (the 26 year-old living in his mom’s basement) all to find the truth about his ex-girlfriend’s fate.

Tension, sharp writing, stark imagery, and wonderful performances all combine to make Brick a truly great film. I was worried going into this film that the whole noir at high school angle might only work as a novelty. Something that could fizzle out about the halfway point. But Brick never fizzles; it ups the stakes and pushes forward with gradually increasing freight-train-like momentum.

Film Review: 16 Blocks (2006) C-

Date Viewed: 11/01/06
Venue: DVD






16 Blocks is a moderately entertaining cop action drama that has some old-school flair but suffers from some lame characters and a high level of improbability.

Bruce Willis stars as a washed up, alcoholic New York cop (gee, that doesn’t sound a think like John McClane, does it?) who is tasked with the protection of a small-time crook-turned star witness (portrayed by rapper-cum-thespian Mos Def). Willis’ task is simple; he must escort the endangered criminal 16 blocks to a courthouse to give his testimony against a ring of dirty cops.

The first forty-five or so minutes of 16 Block aren’t that bad. You feel a building bond between Willis and Mos Def as they come to believe that no one really wants them to make it to the courthouse alive. Attacked by thugs and later dirty cops (conveniently including Willis’ ex-partner, played by David Morse), the duo strives to stay off the streets and stay alive.

However, the film comes off the rails about halfway through with just too many improbable situations. With scenes likely taken from an unused script for Lethal Weapon 5, our pair manages one impossible escape after another in a clear case of our scribe writing himself into corners. Add to that a disproportionably sappy character resolution, and you’ve got some major problems.

16 Blocks isn’t the worst buddy-cop movie made, it’s just pretty mediocre. Mos Def, who I usually find to be a capable thespian, turns in a character that’s god-awfully simple-minded and borderline retarded sounding. His grating performance coupled with the film’s bigger story problems make it a miss for me.

Film Review: Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939) B

Date Viewed: 10/26/06
Venue: DVD

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington was one of those movies I always heard about but never got around to seeing. Well, until now, that is. And while I enjoyed Frank Capra’s film, it just doesn’t quite stand up to the test of time.

Jimmy Stewart is Jefferson Smith, a naïve Boy Scout leader appointed to Congress by a political machine looking for a yes man. Upon discovering the motivations behind his appointment, Smith fights to clear his name and clean up the system.

In relation to more modern films, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington moves at a snail’s pace. Scenes are long and drawn out, and stagey with lots and lots of dialog. It’s also somewhat amazing how many glaring jump cuts are in the picture. But hey, that’s movies from the 1930s for you!

Two things really stood out for me, however. Firstly, Jimmy Stewart’s famous marathon-length filibuster in the third act completely makes the film (as well being one of Stewart’s career-defining moments). His passion, his dogged perseverance is impossible not to root for. Secondly, Claude Rains’ portrayal of a tragically corrupted senator is well played and nicely layered. The combination of the two make an honest plea against political corruption.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this film. It’s not unusual for older films to lose some of their effectiveness over time as styles and tastes evolve, but with an oft-described “classic” such as this I wanted something a little better. That’s not to say there’s nothing worthwhile here, it’s worth watching for Stewart’s final twenty minutes and its strong stand against crooked politcs, but it still falls victim to the sands of time.