Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes elaborate dialogue sound usable by declining to show off. We rate the quiet concentration that makes Brick convincing, and favour substantial roles that give him time to make a character matter.
Fi1m perspective
In Brick (2006), Joseph Gordon-Levitt speaks the hard-boiled dialogue without seeming pleased to have been given it. His Brendan Frye is quiet and intent on the investigation, with none of the knowing amusement that could make this high-school detective story unbearable. We believe he needs answers, rather than an opportunity to deliver another clever line. Rian Johnson supplies the intricate plotting, but Gordon-Levitt is the reason we care enough to follow it.
Mysterious Skin (2004) and Brick marked the turn towards independent character work after 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). (500) Days of Summer (2009) brought a breakthrough romantic lead, followed by the studio ensemble of Christopher Nolan's Inception (2010), in which he played Arthur. Then Looper (2012) reunited him with Johnson for a lead requiring physical and vocal transformation. That is the kind of assignment we want for an actor so willing to prepare.
For Brick, that preparation included extensive rehearsal of the stylised language. The useful result is that Brendan can sound absorbed in what he is saying, rather than in getting the words out correctly. We winced during his fight with the school jock because the violence is treated seriously and his restraint elsewhere makes it more uncomfortable. He gives the film a physical vulnerability that its ingenious premise could easily have crowded out.
He cannot do the same for everyone around him. Some of Brick's supporting characters remain too bound to their detective-story functions, and Johnson's elaborate plotting allows too little ordinary teenage behaviour. That limits how much of the adolescent distress reaches us, despite Gordon-Levitt's efforts; we recommend the film warmly, with a reservation about the people Brendan has to share it with.
Don Jon (2013) extended his responsibilities to feature writing and directing, with Gordon-Levitt also playing Jon Martello. His recurring small roles and voice cameos for Johnson keep that collaboration going, though they offer less scope for the sustained performance we value in Brick. We would welcome more parts that need his patience with difficult material. Start with Brendan Frye, and give the dialogue your full attention.
Biography
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an American actor and filmmaker. He began his career as a child, appearing in films including A River Runs Through It (1992) and Angels in the Outfield (1994). He played Tommy Solomon in the television series 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001).
Gordon-Levitt starred as Brendan Frye in Brick (2005). After studying at Columbia University, he returned to acting with roles in films such as Mysterious Skin (2004), (500) Days of Summer (2009), Inception (2010), The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and Looper (2012). He founded the online media platform HitRecord, and projects including HitRecord on TV (2014–15) earned him two Primetime Emmy Awards.
