Overview
A lonely teenager dives into a dark world of crime to uncover the truth behind his ex-girlfriend's death.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- brooding
- sardonic
- tense
- late night viewing
- rainy day
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a slick, compelling, and inventive homage to classic noir relocated to a contemporary high-school setting.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Brendan investigates Emily's death by infiltrating the student drug network and pursuing the dealer known as The Pin.
Lonely student Brendan works outside school authority and conventional social groups, with only The Brain as a consistent ally.
The film uses distinctive noir-inflected, 1950s-styled character speech despite its contemporary teenage setting.
Classic Hollywood noir conventions, criminal hierarchies, and detective behavior are reworked through suburban high-school life.
Films like Brick, and why
Chinatown
shared neo-noir investigation, morally isolated protagonist, stylized dialogue, and criminal underworld
Rebel Without a Cause
shared teenage alienation, outsider protagonist, and brooding social drama
Heathers
shared high-school setting, mystery plotting, dark humor, and subversive teen perspective
Blue Ruin
shared adolescent crime investigation, enigmatic characters, and independent neo-noir atmosphere
Movie Details
- Director
- Rian Johnson
- Release Date
- 2006-03-31
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (1435)
Cast
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt
- Nora Zehetner
- Matt O'Leary
- Noah Fleiss
- Lukas Haas
- Meagan Good
- Emilie de Ravin
- Noah Segan
- Brian J. White
- Richard Roundtree
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Brick about?
- A fiercely stylized teenage loner turns his California high school into a noir underworld while hunting the truth behind his ex-girlfriend’s murder.
- What is Brick like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Brick as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Brick violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Brick as moderate.
- What did critics think of Brick?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a slick, compelling, and inventive homage to classic noir relocated to a contemporary high-school setting.
- Which films are like Brick?
- Films with a similar feel include Chinatown, Rebel Without a Cause, Heathers, and Blue Ruin.
- How long is Brick?
- Brick runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch Brick?
- In United States, Brick is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
