It is no secret that I love the film BRICK. A delightful hard-boiled flick made for 500k that stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a high school student that is a cynical loner. This film is set in high school, but is your classic P.I. film.

This set takes place in the office of the asst. principal (Richard Roundtree). Brendan (Gordon-Levitt) has just gotten the stuffing beaten out of him by a goon he does not know. That he did, suggests to him that his poking around has hit the mark and is stirring things up.

TRUEMAN (Richard Roundtree): You didn’t know this boy?
BRENDAN (Joseph Gordon-Levitt): No sir, never seen him.
TRUEMAN: And he just hit you?
BRENDAN: Like I said, he asked for my lunch money first. Good thing I brown bagged it.
Trueman trains a good natured dubious eye on Brendan.
TRUEMAN: Alright Brendan. I’ve been looking to
talk to you.
Brendan doesn’t react.
TRUEMAN: You’ve helped this office out before.
BRENDAN: No. I gave you Jerr to see him eaten, not to see you fed.
TRUEMAN: Fine, and well put.
BRENDAN: Accelerated English, Mrs. Kasprzyk.
TRUEMAN: Tough teacher?
BRENDAN: Tough but fair.
TRUEMAN: Mm. Anyway then, we know you’re clean,and you’ve, despite your motives, you’ve been an asset to us. I think you’re a good kid.
BRENDAN: Uh huh.
TRUEMAN: I want to run a couple names by you.
BRENDAN stands to go.
TRUEMAN: We’re not done here.
BRENDAN(angry): I was done here three months ago. I told you then I’d give you Jerr and that was that, I’m not your inside line and I’m
not your boy.
TRUEMAN: That’s not a very helpful-
BRENDAN(anger builds): You know what I’m in if the wrong yeg saw me pulled in here?
TRUEMAN: What are you in?
BRENDAN: No. And no more of these informal chats – if you’ve got a discipline issue with me write me up or suspend me and I’ll see you at the parent conference.