It's no surprise that Rian Johnson's newest mystery, "Wake Up Dead Man," has been Netflix's No. 1 watch since it premiered on the streaming service last Friday. This third "Knives Out" movie is my favorite of the franchise yet, and a riotously fun, twisting mystery movie deserving of its reception.
Seeing as "Wake Up Dead Man" has endured as a popular Netflix watch, I'm guessing there are viewers out there with an appetite for more mysteries. If that's you, I'd urge you to check out Rian Johnson's debut feature, "Brick." While it's not part of the "Knives Out" lineage, this high school-set film noir homage stands as proof that Rian Johnson has had a firm grasp on the mystery/detective genre from the beginning.
It's not currently available on a streaming service, but you can rent "Brick" for just a couple of bucks on Prime Video, and if you love mystery movies, it's definitely worth the price of admission — here's why.
What is 'Brick' about?
Johnson's "Brick" is a teen murder mystery that introduces us to hard-boiled high school loner, Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who receives a panicked phone call from Emily, one of his ex-girlfriends.
Following the phone call, Emily's body is uncovered nearby, and Brendan decides to solve the murder himself. In doing so, he ends up crossing paths with some of the school's toughest customers and tangles with a local drug baron.
In addition to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "Brick" also stars Lukas Haas, Nora Zehetner, Noah Fleiss, Matt O'Leary, Richard Roundtree, and Emilie de Ravin, among others.
Why 'Brick' should be your next mystery movie
Watching "Brick," you can definitely see how Rian Johnson ended up as this modern mystery maestro. This earlier feature might be smaller in scope and stripped back compared to his more recent projects, but it's still a compelling, twisting mystery, and one investigated by a different (but no less entertaining) detective.
You might assume a high school student wouldn't exactly be great gumshoe material. If you think that, you haven't met Brendan Frye. Gordon-Levitt turns in a confident, chatty, punchy (in every sense of the word) performance, leaving Brendan feeling very much like he's cut from the same cloth as classic noir leads.
Despite the lower budget, it's still plenty dramatic. Expect creative camerawork, sharp dialogue, a moody score, and the occasional bursts of action to shake things up. It's a real love letter to the genre, and an energetic, entertaining one at that.
You don't just need to trust my judgment, though: it might not be quite as universally loved as Johnson's "Knives Out" movies — it's sitting at 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to "Wake Up Dead Man's" 92% score — "Brick" nevertheless comes well-recommended by many movie critics.
Empire's Damon Wise gave "Brick" a 4-star review back in 2006, writing: "With a superb lead turn by rising star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rian Johnson's debut is a smart, original neo-noir that works as an ingenious mindgame as well as a slick Hollywood calling card."
Roger Ebert offered a 3-star verdict in 2006, writing: "This movie leaves me looking forward to the director's next film; we can say of Rian Johnson, as somebody once said about a dame named Brigid O'Shaughnesy: "You're good. You're very good."
And in a more recent retrospective for Screen Rant, Grant Hermanns called it "one of the most fascinating debuts for any filmmaker" and a "surprisingly effective" translation of the noir genre, praising the movie's "stylish direction" and the cast's performances in particular.
In short, then, "Brick" is an impressive, hardboiled high school mystery that I'd wager many "Knives Out" fans might well get a kick out of, if they gave it a chance.
Already seen it? Be sure to check out our round-up of the best whodunnits to stream after "Wake Up Dead" or the best movies on Netflix and best Prime Video movies for tons more mysteries and plenty more top movie recommendations.
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