Brick (2006) - 9.2

One of the few examples of DIY indie filmmaking that succeeds in every regard.  First-time director and writer Rian Johnson appropriates the classic hallmarks of film noir for a murder-mystery set in a southern California high school.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Brendan, the solitary hero with a checkered past whose troubled ex-girlfriend, Emily (Emilie de Ravin of Lost fame), turns up dead.  Brendan’s search for Emily’s killer leads him to the seedy underworld of The Pin (a floppy-eared Lukas Haas), the local drug-dealer who works out of his mom’s wood-panelled basement.  Johnson elicits excellent performances from his young cast, who play high-school stand-ins for the classic noir personae, including Laura (Nora Zehetner), the rich-girl femme fatale; Tug (Noah Fleiss), the bull-faced dropout and The Pin’s muscle; and The Brain (Matt O’Leary), the school nerd and Brendan’s confidante.  The film’s schtick could easily wear thin, but like Memento, Brick succeeds beyond its conceit: Every scene is meticulously shot and edited, and Johnson manages to convey an undertone of tragedy without losing his sense of humor.  (Only the best sorts of people will get the hilarity of The Pin in the van with the lamp.)  An impressive debut, and one of the best films of the year.