Brick (2005)

Director:

Rian Johnson

Writer (WGA):

Rian Johnson (written by)

Release Date:

7 April 2006 (Canada)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

A detective story.

Plot:

A teenage loner pushes his way into the underworld of a high school crime ring to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.

Plot Keywords:

Teenage Detective | Attempted Murder | Child Killing Child | Phone Booth | Pistol

Awards:

8 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Brendan Frye
Nora Zehetner	...	Laura
Lukas Haas	...	The Pin
Noah Fleiss	...	Tugger
Matt O'Leary	...	The Brain
Emilie de Ravin	...	Emily Kostich
Noah Segan	...	Dode
Richard Roundtree	...	Assistant V.P. Gary Trueman
Meagan Good	...	Kara
Brian J. White	...	Brad Bramish (as Brian White)
Jonathan Cauff	...	Biff
Reedy Gibbs	...	Pin's Mom
Lucas Babin	...	Big Stoner
Tracy Wilcoxen	...	Straggler
Ari Welkom	...	Tangles (as Ari Velkom)
Cody Lightning	...	The Lug
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
McJoel Hamilton	...	The Pin's Driver (uncredited)

Directed by
Rian Johnson

Writing credits (WGA)
Rian Johnson		(written by)

Produced by
Ram Bergman	....	producer
Marcie Campbell	....	executive producer
Norman Dreyfuss	....	executive producer
Susan Dynner	....	co-producer
Raymond Izaac	....	associate producer
Craig Johnson	....	executive producer
Lisa Johnson	....	executive producer
Dana Lustig	....	co-producer
Mark G. Mathis	....	producer
Angela Roessel	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Nathan Johnson

Cinematography by
Steve Yedlin		(director of photography)

Casting by
Shannon Makhanian

Production Design by
Jodie Lynn Tillen		(as Jodie Tillen)

Set Decoration by
Shara Kasprack

Costume Design by
Michele Posch

Makeup Department
Erin Lippard	....	additional hair stylist
Erin Lippard	....	additional makeup artist
Lisa Machii	....	assistant makeup artist
Kerri Nicole	....	additional hair stylist
Kerri Nicole	....	additional makeup artist
Jill Ventimiglia	....	hair stylist
Jill Ventimiglia	....	makeup artist
Dahlia Warner	....	additional hair stylist
Dahlia Warner	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Philip Harrelson	....	post-production supervisor
Ilya Lyudmirsky	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anthony Carregal	....	second assistant director
Kristin Mente	....	first assistant director
Chris Hall	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
McJoel Hamilton	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Treven Bedwell	....	property master (as Trevan Bedwell)
Moe Moe Lwin	....	assistant property master
Jason O'Rourke	....	assistant decorator
Moe Moe Lwin	....	on-set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Randy Babajtis	....	sound design editor
Randy Babajtis	....	sound effects editor
Jeremy Balko	....	foley mixer
Dhyana Carlton-Tims	....	assistant dialogue editor
Alan Freedman	....	adr editor (as Alan 'Danger' Freedman)
Alan Freedman	....	adr mixer (as Alan 'Mo Danger' Freedman)
Jerry Gilbert	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bryant Grizzell	....	additional boom operator
Dennis Grzesik	....	sound mixer
Spencer Johnson	....	foley editor
Randall Lawson	....	additional sound mixer (as Randy Lawson)
Jonathan Miller	....	supervising sound designer
Jonathan Miller	....	supervising sound editor
Andrew Patterson	....	dialogue editor
Shelley Roden	....	foley artist
Gerard Vernice	....	boom operator (as Gerrard Bernice)
James Wright	....	sound engineer: Dolby (as Jim Wright)
Scott Hinkley	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)
Randall Lawson	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Andrew Morgado	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
David Wanye	....	special effects coordinator
Torrence Hall	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Todd Hall	....	optical supervisor (as Todd R. Hall)
James R. Kerrigan	....	optical cameraman

Stunts
Nils Allen Stewart	....	stunt coordinator (as Nils Stewart)
Chris Hall	....	stunts (uncredited)
Maegan Stewart	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Silvia Beltramini	....	still photographer
Greg Gayne	....	still photographer (as Greg Gaynes)
David Allen Grove	....	steadicam operator (as David Grove)
Forest James	....	still photographer
Scott E. Kaufman	....	electrician (as Scott Kaufman)
Ama MacDonald	....	additional gaffer
Jerome Roi Maufas	....	best boy electric (as Roi Maufas)
Ryan McCoy	....	electrician
Ryan McCoy	....	second assistant camera
Tobin Oldach	....	additional assistant camera
Tobin Oldach	....	electrician
Seth Orozco	....	additional assistant camera
Rick Peebles	....	best boy grip
Jaron Presant	....	director of photography: second unit
Jaron Presant	....	gaffer
Ann Rabin	....	additional assistant camera
Colleen Rea	....	additional assistant camera
Gregory Romero	....	additional key grip (as Greg Romero)
Michael Skor	....	additional assistant camera
Todd Antonio Somodevilla	....	director of photography: second unit
James Troost	....	electrician
Michael Weeks	....	key grip (as Mike Weeks)
Wade Whitley	....	first assistant camera
Rick Peebles	....	dolly grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michelle Giannoulis	....	key costumer (as Michelle Anne Giannoulis)
Jen Greeke	....	costume consultant
Sam Velde	....	assistant wardrobe

Editorial Department
Bob Fredrickson	....	color timer
Jeana Lasser	....	assistant editor
Henry Lowenfels	....	post-production assistant
Andrew Morgado	....	assistant editor
Sue Gates	....	telecine colorist (uncredited)
Philip Harrelson	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Tod Lautenberg	....	second editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Dan Baker	....	musician
Paul Burton	....	score engineer
Steve Cowley	....	musician
Andy Davey	....	musician
Drew DeAscentis	....	music editor
Melody Dornfield	....	musician
Lee Farber	....	musician
Aaron Johnson	....	music mixer
Nathan Johnson	....	music producer
Nathan Johnson	....	musician
Nathan Johnson	....	score engineer
Seth Johnson	....	musician
Zachary Johnson	....	musician
China Kent	....	musician
Seth Kent	....	musician
Seth Kent	....	score engineer
Chris Mears	....	musician
Chris Pedley	....	musician
Joe Rudge	....	music supervisor
Larry Seymour	....	composer: closing theme (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Paul Feddersen	....	transportation coordinator
Hugo Ocana	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Sean Adderly	....	set production assistant
Shawn Attias	....	set production assistant
William Coleman	....	craft service
Liz Covert	....	script supervisor (as Elizabeth Covert)
Glenn D. Feig	....	legal services
Joel Hamilton	....	key set production assistant
Maria Kerrigan	....	title coordinator
Daniel Laiblin	....	production coordinator
Denise Marciel	....	caterer
Kevin Earl Maynard	....	set production assistant (as Kevin Maynard)
Frank McGonagle	....	caterer (as Franko McConagle)
Larry Michalski	....	sales
Eric J. Spiegelman	....	production counsel
Perry Suppa	....	schedule
Tracy Wilcoxen	....	set production assistant
Ken Diver	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Mike Tristano	....	armorer (uncredited)

Thanks
Ben Boyer	....	special thanks
Jake Holland	....	thanks
Tara Holland	....	thanks
Shawn Marchetti	....	special thanks
Lucky McKee	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Bergman Lustig Productions

Distributors

• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Dex Entertainment (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Focus Features (2006) (USA) (all media)
• Imagem Filmes (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Mars Distribution (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Odeon S.A. (2006) (Greece) (all media)
• Optimum Releasing (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RCV Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Senator Film (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Senator Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Versus Entertainment (2006) (Spain) (all media)
• Wise Policy (2007) (Japan) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• F-Stop Film & Video (opticals)
• Pixel Magic (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Cinetic Media  sales
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  dailies (as CFI)
• F-Stop Film & Video  titles and opticals (as F-Stop Inc.)
• FotoKem Laboratory  answer print (as FotoKem)
• Hand Prop Room, The  props
• Independent Studio Services  props
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Lenny Marvin Enterprises  props (as Lennie Marvin Enterprises)
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative cutting
• Matchframe Video  dailies telecine
• NT Audio Visual  optical sound transfer (as NT Audio)
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Reder & Feig  production legal services
• Reel Good  raw stock
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production and mixing (as Sonic Magic Studios)
• South Coast Furniture & Mattress  props
• Special Effects Unlimited  props
• Studio Photo Imaging  still photograph processing
• TM Motion Picture Rentals  grip and lighting equipment (as TM Motion Picture Equipment Rental)

Also Known As:

A Ponta de um Crime (Brazil) [pt]
Brick (Argentina) (cable TV title) [es]
Brick - À la recherche d'Emily (Canada: French title) [fr]
Brick - Dose mortale (Italy) [it]
Eglima sto kolegio (Greece) [el]

MPAA:

Rated R for violent and drug content.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #41781) | Ireland:15A | Argentina:13 | South Korea:15 | UK:15 | Japan:R-15 | Canada:14A | Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/16 | Finland:K-15 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

San Clemente, California, USA

Company:

Bergman Lustig Productions

Trivia:

The music score was composed by Rian Johnson's cousin, Nathan Johnson, with additional support and music from The Cinematic Underground. The score hearkens back to the style, feel and overall texture of noir films. It features traditional instruments such as the piano, trumpet and violin, and also contains unique and invented instruments such as the wine-o-phone, metallophone, tack pianos, filing cabinets, and kitchen utensils, all recorded with one microphone on a beat-up Apple PowerBook. Since Nathan Johnson was in England during most of the production process, the score was composed almost entirely over Apple iChat, with Rian Johnson playing clips of the movie to Nathan Johnson, who would then score them. The two later met in New York to mix the soundtrack.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Brendan's confrontation with Dode in the football field, he falls on the grass and briefly passes out. When he wakes up and hears Laura's horn, his clothing is dirty. When he reaches the tunnel to meet with Tug, The Pin, and Dode, his clothing is clean.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Brendan answers the pay phone]
Emily: Brendan.
Brendan Frye: Emily.
Emily: Yeah-h... How's things?
Brendan Frye: Status quo.

Movie Connections:

References Du rififi chez les hommes (1955)

Soundtrack:

I'm in the Middle of a Riddle

extremely enjoyable and unique film!

OK...I have never actually commented on a movie on IMDb, but this movie was so great I really felt I had to let people know about it. When I first read the synopsis of Brick at Sundance I was immediately interested in seeing it. "Film Noir set in a high school." I started hearing really terrible reviews of it and almost did not go until the very last day I could. I am so glad I did. It is a very unique film, such a refreshing one for people who have seen it all. So if you want something new and different you will definitely enjoy this. Others may find it is too over-the top for them--it took me several minutes to understand what the characters were even saying at first, in their language that mixed old film noir slang with the new generation of slang. Its very dark and the sound design will even make a person feel uneasy. The director linked sound and image in ways I have never seen, completely enthralling me from beginning to end. This movie is not a relaxing ride. oh! but there are great comedic and ironic moments as well! I think a lot of the criticism I heard of this film was that it was too incomprehensible and unbelievable. I personally really got into the world of this film and it had me on the edge of my seat until the very end. It was so enjoyable to buy into the rules of the film noir/high school drama world and its characters. I did not even recognize the lead character as that kid from 3rd Rock until the end! I hated 3rd Rock, but I absolutely loved and believed in his character here. I loved it! One of my top picks at Sundance this year. sorry I have never written a review...I hope this reveals something about the movie. I really, really hope that it gets released soon! It is one of those interesting movies that could really be a cult classic.