A Stoner's Point of View #3: Brick
While I like many films from all sorts of genres (I've been known to throw out a lot of 7s, 8s, and 9s around here), there are only a few that I can really call a wonderful movie. This third edition of A Stoner's Point of View holds a film quite dear to me, because it's really hard to watch when you're sleep deprived and intoxicated.
Oh, Jesus. Brick. What is there not to say about it that so many people have already said? I've always been a fan of low-budget indie flicks starting with my run-in with Clerks when I was young. But, honestly, up until I saw Brick I didn't really understand most of them. Take in mind that this was before I got heavily into foriegn films. I was still entering my training to learn the art of film.
Also, is it's awesome to finally watch a movie with the 'new and improved' Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Oh, I knew who he was. He was the funny one on 3rd Rock From the Sun, the kid from Angels and the Outfield, and the guy who fell in love with Alex Mack in 10 Things I Hate About You. Keep in mind that I have yet to see Mysterious Skin, and The Lookout had yet to come out at the time. It was weird seeing how the kid who flapped his wings like a bir-er-angel turned out to be a great actor. He really plays it off well in this movie as Brendan, a basic loner who uses his brains to find out why his ex-girlfriend turned up dead.
Did I mention it takes place in high school?
Yeah, that's what sets this film apart from almost every other film I've seen. It's a fucking noir film with witty, fast-moving dialouge set against long beautiful sets and amazing music. I had never seen anything like it. And it was with my great luck that I first ran into this film while baking.
Now, there are some awesome films out there for stoners to just listen to. One I can name off the top of my head is Hot Fuzz. Another is Sunshine. I'd rank Brick as number one, though. The music is just haunting as you watch Brendan run across memorable characters like Laura, the Pin, Tug, and Dode. Each one of the characters has their unique perks about them, and all of them are interesting.
But the beauty of the film has to be in way there are surreal moments that make it seem like what's going on in the story is nothing more than teen-angst drama-bullshit. There's a point in the film with the Pin's mother offers Brendan come orange juice. It's a great scene that sort of takes you out of this dark story and makes you realize that the parents have no fucking clue what is going on. It's a film about loss of innocence, really. These are eighteen year olds involved in drug deals, sex, pregnancy. And it's all dark. It's almost depressing.
If you still haven't seen Brick yet, you need to see it. Fantastic film. And you know how it's even better? When you're high. It pulls you right in, making it one of the best stoner films in a while. Now, not 'laugh your ass off' stoner films. Thinking stoner films, like Sunshine, where you are drawn to the characters and thrown into their story. It's rare for a movie to do that to me, as I'm mostly freaking out the whole time.
Neutral
