Smart, stylized teen whodunit with violence and drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a lot
A secondary character is a drug dealer, and most of the characters in the film either work for him or associate with him. Some minor characters are said to be drug users, but no one is seen actually using or high on drugs. A "brick" of cocaine is shown. An unseen character is said to have died from taking "bad" drugs.
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Most of the violence here consists of teens beating each other up. One violent character called "Tug" especially uses his fists for everything. A dead body is shown. The main character gets his face bloodied and bruised and is knocked unconscious. A character is stabbed, with blood shown. Guns are drawn, and one character is shot and killed. An intense climactic scene is depicted through sounds of screaming, fighting, and shooting, though nothing is shown.
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The movie's highly stylized language leaves very little room for vulgar words, but "damn," "hell," and "butt" can be heard roughly once each. A character mutters something that sounds like "s--t" under his breath in one scene; it may pass by unnoticed.
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A teen tries to solve a crime, but it's likely that his motivations are more selfish than having to do with the greater good.
Positive Role Models
very little
A fascinating, but flawed, high school teen uses his brains and wits to solve a crime, but he also resorts to trickery, lying, and violence. In his dealings, he treats people with disrespect, giving orders and refusing to trust anyone.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Brick is a highly stylized crime drama, wherein a teen detective tries to solve a case involving murder and cocaine. There is some strong violence, mostly punching and fighting, though characters are stabbed and shot (with blood shown). Teen pregnancy is discussed. A secondary character is a drug dealer, and though a "brick" of cocaine is shown, characters are not seen using drugs or high on drugs. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
I watched this with my 14 year old son. Honestly, if this film were made in the 1940's, we would probably be studying it in film classes. The performances are top-notch, the story is thoroughly engaging, and the violence, although realistic, is never gratuitous. The story centers around a murdered teen with Joseph Gordon Levitt determined to find out what led to her death. The protagonist is an obsessive loner. He's not a traditional hero because he's patterned on figures like Sam Spade and Mike Hammer. This is a first film from director Rian Johnson who's best known as the director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. For my money, Brick is a much better film.
What's the Story?
High schooler Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) receives a mysterious call for help from his ex-girlfriend Emily (Emilie de Ravin), who turns up dead not long after. With the help of his classmate "The Brain" (Matt O'Leary), Brendan begins an investigation. He goes undercover to meet "The Pin" (Lukas Haas), a notorious drug dealer who may have had something to do with Emily's death. But suspicious characters keep turning up: The Pin's hired muscle, Tugger (Noah Fleiss), a haughty drama student (Meagan Good), a tough talking slacker (Noah Segan), and a femme fatale, Laura (Nora Zehetner). On top of it all, the vice principal (Richard Roundtree) is breathing down Brendan's neck. Can Brendan solve the mystery and make it out alive?
Rian Johnson made his writing and directing debut with this remarkably unique item -- an old-fashioned, stylized detective film transplanted intact to a modern high school setting. The dialogue in BRICK is the high point, mixing antique terminology and made-up slang with extreme conviction and coolness. The characters seem to have evolved to play certain kinds of roles in this enclosed universe; no two are alike, though each knows exactly what he or she wants.
Some viewers will no doubt be put off by the oddness of it all, and the stoic way the characters behave toward one another. But for the patient, a few very satisfying moments of tenderness provide entry points. Above all, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is onscreen almost all the time, gives an extraordinarily confident performance, channeling classic movie tough guys, but with his own personal touch: his floppy hair, glasses, and hands permanently clenched inside his jacket pockets tell volumes about him.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's violence. Does this high school seem more or less dangerous than a real high school?
What reasons would a high schooler have for trying drugs? What can adults say to teens to influence them away from drugs? Does this movie glamorize drugs or drug dealing at all?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
