Brick is a new film set to release on Netflix July 10th. From writer & director Philip Koch, the film stars Matthias Schweighöfer, Ruby O. Fee, Frederick Lau, Murathan Muslu, Alexander Beyer, Sira-Anna Faal, Axel Werner, Salber Lee Williams, and Josef Berousek. When a mysterious brick wall encloses their apartment building overnight, Tim and Olivia must unite with their wary neighbors to get out alive.

Between its intriguing concept and Matthias Schweighöfer in the lead, that was more than enough to have me ask Netflix about seeing it early. To my surprise, I didn’t just get early access to it – I’m getting to review it a whole week early! It’s even more exciting when the movie is as exciting as it is, and could potentially have legs to be a big hit on the streamer. Don’t get me wrong, it can be wonky, but it’s incredibly entertaining.

Whenever there’s a unique concept that feels like an elevator pitch, I’m sold. Imagine waking up in your place and not being about to get out. What’s going on? How do you get out? These are questions the film tackles to great effect, offering surprises and meaningful character development throughout.

Since the film runs at about 100 minutes, the first twenty minutes give the two main characters proper development, even if I would have liked to have seen the film more from Ruby O. Fee’s perspective. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone look so much like Lana Del Rey. It’s uncanny. Due to the type of background these characters have, it helps give these characters an interesting arc. It can be a little too much on the nose at times, but it’s still quite effective.

There is a part of me that feels like the film is dragged out even at a reasonable runtime. You can tell where they are trying to expand on this idea to make it an actual movie. This arguably could have been 80 or so minutes that would have allowed the film to get more to the point. At the same time, there were surprises at every corner. Based on where it ends, I would have never predicted how it gets there.

There is a sense of familiarity with the film. It feels like you’ve seen it before, but it still manages to remain original. The character development allows the characters to feel real, making us more terrified about what will happen to these characters. To help it feel more real, the performances are quite strong across the board. Director & writer Philip Koch a sense of panic with what’s going on. Matthias Schweighöfer proves to be effective in thrillers when I’m more familiar with him being the comedic relief. The remaining talent immerses themselves so much into the story, making me want to see what else they choose to do next in their career.

Based on the concept, concluding such a story can be a challenge and I think this film chose the best route. It’s nothing extraordinary and it doesn’t feel as groundbreaking as it could have been. I think the ending is something where anything could have happened, and I’m glad they chose the logical route. It reminds me a lot of 10 Cloverfield Lane, but not as jarring.

Much like many other films as of lately, the CGI is not great. I won’t be surprised if many other people take note of that too. Due to how smaller the scale is, I think it is more of a forgiving aspect. At the same time, I do wish films would rely more on practical over CGI. It’s just becoming more noticeable these days, which just can just take me out of the story.

Overall, Brick works best when it leans into its concept, offering amazing performances & unpredictable story. Viewers may feel the dragged runtime, the ending plays it safe, and the CGI lackluster. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it’s still a fun offering if you’re trying to find something to watch from home.

VERDICT: 3.5/5 (Pretty Good)