http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393109/
When I saw this film, I knew nothing about it except that it had Joseph Gordon-Levitt in. So I was completely unprepared for the stylistic brilliance of a hard boiled Noir set in an American high school. This sounds odd I know... it is odd, but somehow it works perfectly, due on part to excellent performances by all involved. The transference of the Noir detective is only done in part, the tongue and cheek mix of dark drug culture and comical overlords is intelligently placed within the world of high school. Whilst drugs are the same as they would be if it was a straight crime drama the school setting trades overbearing police chiefs with pushy principles and dark meetings with lunch.
At its, heart even without the intelligent blending of styles, the film is solidly about Brendan and his single mission to find out what has happened to his ex girlfriend. Gordon-Levitt makes this film, the believability of his character and your investment in his story and emotions are what the whole film hinges on and the brilliance of the film is a true testament to his work, he portrays the character perfectly. His character is a classic troubled "detective" with heart behind a hard shell, brains and stubborn determination that get him where he needs to be. The small flashback sequence in the film is amazing, it places his character perfectly telling the audience all they need to know about his history and emotions. Also, he's... cool as fuck
The language takes a little getting used to but once you get to understand it the speech sounds almost darkly poetic. The storylines and twists are that of classical detective novels and films, they are executed really well, and for that and many reasons this film was pure awesome. Its been a while since I have founds a gem like this but with all my heart I implore you to watch it, you wont be disappointed.
9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment